ENTURES 

AMONG  THE 


ARABS 


A.  FORDER. 


MR.    ARCHIBALD   FORDER   IN  EUROPEAN   AND   ARAB  COSTUME 


VENTURES 
AMONG    THE    ARABS 

IN  DESERT,  TENT,  AND  TOWN 


THIRTEEN    YEARS    OF    PIONEER    MISSIONARY    LIF1 

WITH  THE  ISHMAELITES  OF  MOAB.  EDOM 

AND  ARABIA 


BY 

ARCHIBALD    FORDER 
« • 

LATE  OF  KERAK,  MOAE 


NEW  YORK 

PUBLISHED  BY  GOSPEL  PUBLISHING  HOUSE 

54  WEST  220  STREET 

1909 


CARPENTlirt 

COPYRIGHT  1909 

BY  GOSPEL  PUBLISHING  HousB 


Printing  by 

FRANCIS   E.    FITCH 

New  York 


TO  A  MUCH  LOVED  AND  HONORED 

Jfatfjer  anfc  fHotijer 

WHO    WILLINGLY    CONSENTED    TO   THEIR    SON 

GIVING    HIS    LIFE    TO    THE   ARABS,    AND    FOR   MANY 

YEARS    PRAYED    DAILY    FOR   THE    SUCCESS 

OF    HIS   WORK,    THIS    BOOK   IS 

Sctricatefc 


M1SSM6 


Of  the  world's  pages,  one  is  yet  unread; 
One  land  still  waits  the  pioneer's  tread; 
'Tis  Arabia,  home  of  steed  and  palm, 
With   millions  needing  yet  the  Gospel's   healing 
balm, 

So 

Dim  longings  draw  me  on,  and  point  my  path, 
To  Eastern  sands,  to  Kedar's  mystic  land, 
The  cradle  of  Islam. 


PREFACE 

THE  object  of  this  book  is  not  to  gratify  a 
love  for  sensational  adventure,  but  to  show 
how  a  life  wholly  given  up  to  God's  service 
can  be  used  and  spared  under  circumstances 
varied  and  often  seemingly  hopeless,  and  in 
the  hope  that  many  may  be  led  to  venture 
something  on  behalf  of  that  great  peninsula  of 
Arabia  of  which  it  tells.  It  shows  that  the 
ventures  of  the  pioneer  missionary  are  full  of 
adventures,  trying,  exciting,  and  interesting, 
and  should  dispel  the  illusion  that  his  life  is 
all  honey  and  that  in  far-away  lands  he  gen- 
erally has  a  good  time. 

No  attempt  is  made  at  literary  perfection,  or 
at  a  detailed  geographical,  historical,  or  other 
description  of  Arabia.  My  story  is  a  simple 
record  of  ventures  just  as  they  occurred,  a  tran- 
script of  personal  experiences  and  beliefs.  It 
is  sent  forth  to  what  I  believe  is  a  sympathetic 


vi  PREFACE 

public,  and  if  through  the  perusal  of  its  pages 
any  one  is  led  to  a  fuller  and  deeper  consecra- 
tion in  the  work  of  evangelizing  the  nations  of 
the  world,  my  time,  labor,  and  thought  will  have 
been  well  expended. 

A.   FORDER. 

BOSTON,  MASS, 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.     A  Rough  Reception I 

II.     Getting  into  Moab 6 

III.  Who  was  Captured 16 

IV.  "Who  are  the  Bedouin"      .         .         .        .        .24 
V.     New  Experiences  under  Difficulties      .         .  31 

VI.     Through  Trials  Enemies  become  Friends     .         .  44 

VII.     Trying  Times  in  Trying  Places    ....  52 

VIII.     Encouragement  from  Unexpected  Quarters  .         .  65 

IX.     In  Competition  with  Native  Doctors     ...  76 

X.     At  the  Mercy  of  Murderers,  Brigands,  and  Raging 

Seas 86 

XI.     Unlooked-for  Changes  and  More  Persecutions      .  106 

XII.     Into  New  Regions,  among  Superstitious  Zealots  .  120 

XIII.  Arabia  the  Desert  of  the  Sea       .         .        .         .130 

XIV.  Attempts  to  enter  Arabia  end  in  Capture,  Prison, 

and  Broken  Bones 141 

XV.     A 'Fourth   Venture   brings    me   to  the  Desert's 

Edge 151 

XVI.     Between  Druze  and  Arab  I  get  into  the  Desert     .  167 
XVII.     A  Kind  Chief  but  Unkind  Subjects      .        .        .180 

XVIII.     Ten  Days  on  the  Desert 198 

XIX.     The  Chief's  Plan  to  capture  me  for  Islam     .         .  206 

XX.     A  Calamity  that  nearly  cost  me  my  Life        .        .  224 
vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PACK 

XXI.  Exciting  Times  in  Desert  and  Town    .        .        .  234 

XXII.  The  Religion  of  the  Arabs 247 

XXIII.  Customs  substantiating  Scripture          .         .         .  258 

XXIV.  Arabia  in  its  Relation  to  the  Bible        .         .        .280 
XXV.  A  Look  Ahead 290 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


FACING  PAGE 

An  Arab  Sheik 3° 

Arab  Encampment 12 

A  Bedouin  Tent 75 

Archibald  Forder  in  European  and  Arab  Costume     .    .  Title 

An  Arab  Fiddler 277 

Arabs  of  Moab,  Dwellers  in  Tents 24 

Arabs  of  Northern  Arabia 212 

Aaron's  Tomb  in  Edom 128 

Bird's-Eye  View  of  Damascus 289 

Bedouin  Women,  Daughters  of  the  Desert 95 

Castle  of  the  Jowf 224 

Coffee  Maker,  The 119 

Caravan  resting  after  a  Journey 179 

Calvary,  Outside  the  Wall 152 

Crossing  the  Desert      205 

Christian  Woman  of  Moab 150 

Drawing  Water  at  Beersheba 125 

Druze  Chiefs 166 

Enjoying  a  Social  Meal 102 

Eastern  Caravansary,  An 119 

Fords  of  Arnon,  The 75 

Forder,  Mrs.,  the  Wife  of  the  Author 106 

Gathering  Salt  in  the  Desert 224 

Getting  ready  to  move  House 166 

Hagar's  Well  in  the  Desert  of  Beersheba 125 

ix 


x  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING  PAGE 

Interior  of  an  Arab  House      9 

Mr.  Forder's  Home  in  Moab 52 

Marid,  the  Stronghold  of  the  Jowf 205 

Map  of  Arabia 292 

Mrs.  Khykhan,  the  Chief's  Wife 189 

Mr.  Forder  when  sitting  with  the  Arabs 85 

North  Shores  of  the  Dead  Sea 102 

Old  Tower  and  Castle  at  Sulkhu 152 

Ovens  used  by  the  Arabs 43 

Palm  with  Fruit  Ripe  unto  Harvest 233 

Pharaoh's  Treasury,  the  Masterpiece  of  Edom    ....  286 

Stone  Doors,  Bashan 160 

Section  of  the  Sik  (Ravine) ,  Arabia  Petrea 132 

Temporary  Hospital  in  the  Desert,  A 189 

The  Chief  of  Kaf 179 

View  on  the  River  Jordan 9 

View  on  the  River  Abana 257 

Water  Skins  filled,  ready  for  a  Journey 197 

Woman  with  Money  on  Head 64 

Women  grinding  at  the  Mill 277 

Woman  churning  Butter 242 


INTRODUCTION 

[Bv  SPECIAL  PERMISSION  FROM  "  WITH  THE  ARABS  IN  TENT  AND  TOWN."] 

CONSULATE   OF  THE  UNITED   STATES 
OF   AMERICA 

To  whom  it  may  concern: 

DEAR  SIR  OR  MADAME, — 

This  letter  introduces  Mr.  Archibald  Forder, 
who  is  well  known  to  me.  He  is  a  tireless, 
faithful,  devoted  Christian  worker.  He  is  fear- 
less, and  has  labored  with  indefatigable  zeal. 
He  enjoys  pioneer  and  missionary  work  better 
than  any  other  man  I  have  ever  seen.  Only 
last  year  (1900)  he  went  alone  into  the  heart 
of  Arabia,  and  nearly  perished  because  the 
hardships  were  so  great.  He  is  a  regular 
Livingstone,  and  if  there  were  still  any  "un- 
known continent,"  Mr.  Forder  would  be  the 
man  to  open  it  up  to  Christianity.  In  con- 
nection with  some  established  Society,  or  under 


xii  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

the  direction  of  some  judicious  Board  of  Trus- 
tees, I  am  sure  that  Mr.  Forder  would  do 
most  excellent  work.  His  character  is  above 
reproach,  and  in  this  country  he  is  respected 
by  all  who  know  him. 

I  remain,  yours  respectfully, 

(HoN.)  SELAH  MERRILL,  LL.D. 
U.  S.  Consul,  Jerusalem. 

SEPTEMBER  23,  1901. 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

For  the  twin  photographs  reproduced  as 
frontispiece,  we  are  indebted  to  J.  C.  Varney, 
Haverhill,  Mass.,  and  for  the  photograph  facing 
page  85,  thanks  are  due  to  Van  B.  Wheaton, 
Amsterdam,  N.Y. 


'VENTURES  AMONG  THE  ARABS 
CHAPTER   I 

A     ROUGH     RECEPTION 

IT  was  fast  growing  dark,  and  we  were 
eagerly  anticipating  the  end  of  our  long 
and  fatiguing  journey.  Four  days  we  had  been 
on  the  way  from  Jerusalem,  and  one  more  night 
should  bring  us  to  our  new  home  among  the 
thousands  of  Ishmaelites,  in  Kerak,  the  old 
Moabitish  capital,  on  the  highlands  and  in  the 
mountains  of  that  little-known  region. 

The  leader  of  our  little  caravan  ordered  the 
loads  to  be  put  on  the  camels  and  mules  for 
this  final  stage  of  the  journey.  With  fear  and 
trembling  our  faithful  men  adjusted  them,  then 
grasping  their  heavy  sticks  and  slinging  their 
flintlock  guns  over  their  backs,  with  a  "  Bis- 
mallah"  — "In  the  name  of  God"  — led  off, 
hoping  that  before  daybreak  we  would  be 
housed  in  the  old  city,  only  twenty-five  or 
thirty  miles  ahead. 

We  mounted  our  animals  and  brought  up 
the  rear.  In  the  twilight  we  could  see  the 
caravan  ahead  of  us  urged  on  by  our  men,  but 


2  A  ROUGH   RECEPTION 

no  sound  was  uttered.  For  we  were  now  in 
the  land  of  Moab,  among  a  people  noted  for 
their  lawlessness,  dwellers  in  houses  of  hair, 
keepers  of  flocks  and  herds,  whose  hand  was 
against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  them  —  a  people  who  looked  with  sus- 
picion upon  any  one  who  dared  to  enter  their 
country  uninvited,  and  who  were  ready  at  a 
moment's  notice  to  attack,  rob,  and  even  kill, 
so  that  the  purses  and  purposes  of  the  chiefs 
and  their  many  attendants  might  be  filled  and 
upheld ;  and  after  plunder  and  even  murder 
return  to  their  camps,  pull  down  and  fold  up 
their  tents,  and  migrate  to  some  region  inacces- 
sible to  any  who  might  purpose  revenge  for  any 
such  treatment  as  just  described. 

Was  it  any  wonder  that  our  good  Arab  at- 
tendants kept  quiet  lest  they  should  bring  down 
on  us  some  of  the  bloodthirsty,  greedy  children 
of  Ishmael  ?  But  in  spite  of  quiet  and  care  we 
were  not  to  be  allowed  to  pass  unmolested  or 
to  reach  our  mountain  home  without  inter- 
ruption. 

It  was  about  seven  in  the  evening,  and  quite 
dark,  when  suddenly,  without  any  warning,  we 
were  surrounded  by  a  large  number  of  fierce 
fellows  armed  with  rifles,  spears,  daggers,  and 
revolvers.  They  appeared  to  come  from  be- 


A  ROUGH   RECEPTION  3 

neath,  so  quickly  were  they  upon  us.  Their 
mode  of  operation  was  well  planned  and  carried 
out.  First  they  separated  us,  then  some  drove 
off  the  loaded  animals  that  in  the  stampede  and 
surprise  had  been  deserted  by  their  drivers. 
Others  of  these  unexpected  arrivals  took  as  a 
prisoner  one  of  our  little  company,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  after  the  attack  no  one  knew  where 
the  other  was. 

Who  were  the  newcomers?  some  will  be 
asking.  They  were  a  company  of  Arabs  be- 
longing to  the  ruling  family  of  Moab,  and 
known  as  the  Mujellies.  They  were  famous  and 
feared,  because  of  their  ferocity  and  daring. 
Somehow  they  had  learned  of  our  coming  and 
had  been  lying  in  wait  for  us,  prepared  to  give 
us  not  only  a  surprise,  but  a  rough  and  dis- 
couraging reception  to  their  country.  It  was 
neither  the  place  or  time  for  talking,  so  each 
one,  still  riding,  was  led  off  in  charge  of  three 
or  four  of  these  unwelcome  fellows. 

I  heard  my  wife  calling  for  me,  her  voice 
came  from  somewhere  on  my  right,  so  without 
any  notice  to  my  captors  I  slipped  off  my  horse, 
and  before  they  realized  what  had  occurred  I 
was  running  in  the  direction  from  whence  the 
sound  of  my  wife's  voice  had  come.  Stumbling 
over  stones  and  bushes  in  the  darkness,  I  at 


4  A  ROUGH   RECEPTION 

last  came  upon  a  little  group.  In  the  midst 
was  my  wife,  still  seated  upon  her  mule.  Around 
her  were  some  six  or  eight  men,  some  on  horses, 
others  on  foot.  They  were  trying  to  make  her 
understand  that  they  wanted  any  valuables  that 
she  might  have. 

Fierce  and  lawless  as  they  were,  their 
social  custom  kept  them  from  laying  hands 
on  a  woman,  much  as  they  might  covet  and 
wish  to  have  any  valuables  that  she  might  pos- 
sess. I  had  already  been  overhauled,  with  a 
very  poor  result,  however,  for  I  had  nothing 
worth  taking,  having  anticipated  some  such 
experience  as  this.  I  had  stoutly  resisted  the 
first  man  who  started  to  make  the  acquaintance 
of  my  pockets  and  saddle-bags.  Thinking  to 
frighten  me  into  submission,  he  drew  out  a  long 
curved  dagger  and  held  it  in  a  threatening  way 
over  me,  but  I  put  up  my  arm  and  knocked 
it  out  of  his  hands,  and  he  thought  it  wise  to 
desist  from  interfering  with  me. 

Pushing  between  the  horses  and  men  that 
surrounded  my  wife,  I,  by  signs  and  shouting, 
protested  against  their  actions.  At  that  time 
I  only  knew  a  few  words  of  Arabic.  They 
were  joined,  a  few  minutes  later,  by  my  captors, 
who  had  followed  me  after  I  had  given  them 
the  slip.  Together  we  all  moved  off,  I  walking 


A  ROUGH   RECEPTION  5 

by  the  side  of  my  wife's  mule  and  doing  my  best 
to  encourage  and  cheer  her.  Many  times  our 
captors  urged  me  to  ride,  but  to  no  purpose. 

All  this  time  we  knew  nothing  about  our 
companions  who  were  able  to  speak  the  lan- 
guage, or  anything  about  the  loads  or  our  faith- 
ful attendants.  For  about  an  hour  we  went  on 
in  the  dark.  Often  I  stumbled  over  stones,  or 
put  my  foot  into  some  hole  in  the  dry,  parched 
ground,  but  I  held  on  to  the  bridle  of  the  mule, 
and  in  spite  of  sore  feet  and  bleeding  legs, 
pricked  by  stout  thorns  or  nettles,  at  last  saw 
in  the  distance  the  lights  of  camp-fires,  and 
knew  that  the  homes  of  our  captors  were  near, 
and  for  a  time,  at  least,  this  part  of  our  journey 
was  about  at  an  end.  Furious  dogs  rushed 
hither  and  thither,  announcing  our  coming 
with  their  shrill,  harsh  barking. 

A  few  minutes  later  we  halted  before  one  of 
the  tents  in  a  large  encampment  and  were  in- 
vited to  enter,  which  we  did,  conscious  of  the 
fact  that  we  were  the  prisoners  of  the  Bedouin, 
and  our  temporary  prison  a  house  of  hair. 


CHAPTER   II 

GETTING   INTO   MOAB 

previous  chapter  left  my  companions 
and  myself  captives  in  a  house  of  hair  on 
the  wide  plains  of  Moab.     Let  me  now  relate 
how   I    reached  the   place   and   circumstances 
already  told. 

My  wife  and  self  left  England  on  Thursday, 
September  3,  1891.  We  were  sent  off  with 
many  good  wishes  and  the  blessings  and  ear- 
nest prayers  of  our  parents  and  friends.  In  due 
time  we  reached  Jaffa,  the  port  of  Southern 
Palestine,  and  were  welcomed  there  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Lethaby,  whose  place  we  had  come  to  take 
for  a  time.  Here  I  had  my  first  Arabic  lesson 
—  one  that  was  short,  comparatively  easy,  but 
very  helpful.  The  agent  who  undertook  for  us 
in  the  landing  and  customs  taught  me  the 
equivalent  in  Arabic  for  "What  is  that?" 
Armed  with  my  first  two  words  of  that  difficult 
language,  I  went  ahead  and  soon  learned  the 
names  of  many  things,  until  able  to  converse 
with  the  people. 

6 


GETTING   INTO   MOAB  7 

As  the  way  to  Moab  was  through  Jerusalem, 
we  hired  carriages  to  drive  to  the  Holy  City. 
The  railroad  was  not  open  in  those  days.  After 
a  weary  ride  we  reached  Jerusalem  and  were 
lodged  in  a  comfortable  home.  On  Wednes- 
day morning,  September  30,  we  started  for 
Moab.  The  old  capital,  Kerak,  —  Kir  of  the 
Old  Testament,  —  was  our  destination,  and  had 
we  then  known  all  that  was  to  befall  us,  we 
would  not  have  set  out  so  light-heartedly. 
Our  companions,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lethaby,  rode  in 
rude  crates  slung  across  a  camel's  back.  Mrs. 
Forder  and  myself  were  accommodated  in  a 
similar  fashion.  We  moved  along  like  snails, 
and  after  having  ridden  until  we  were  all  stiff 
and  tired,  our  camel  man  at  last  yielded  to  our 
pleadings  and  persuasions,  and  consented  to 
stop  and  rest  awhile.  In  ten  minutes  we 
started  again.  O  dear!  that  day's  journey  to 
Jericho  is  still  in  my  mind;  the  jolting  and 
rocking  on  that  camel's  back,  under  the  scorch- 
ing sun,  was  almost  unbearable.  To  add  to 
our  miseries,  that  stubborn  camel  would  insist 
on  walking  along  the  very  edges  of  the  steep 
precipices  so  common  on  the  Jericho  road.  If 
we  touched  it  on  the  neck  to  guide  it  to  the 
middle  of  the  road,  the  beast  would  stop  and 
commence  to  kneel.  The  calmness  of  that 


g  GETTING   INTO   MOAB 

beast  greatly  added  to  our  discomforts  that  first 
day  out.  If  it  turned  back  its  long  neck  to 
knock  a  troublesome  fly  off  its  hindquarters,  we 
thought  it  was  after  a  bite  at  our  legs,  that 
dangled  over  the  sides  of  the  crates  in  which 
we  were  seated. 

At  last  we  sighted  Jericho  in  the  plains 
below,  and  at  length  reached  the  village.  We 
were  tired  and  exhausted,  and  were  grateful  for 
the  shelter  and  warm  water  supplied  by  the 
woman  in  charge  of  the  Russian  hospice  there. 
We  tried  to  sleep,  but  the  heat  and  innumer- 
able occupants  of  our  beds  made  it  impossible. 

About  two  next  morning  we  were  up  and 
again  on  the  move.  In  the  dark  our  camels 
followed  their  master  across  the  level  plain  of 
Jericho.  At  daybreak  we  reached  the  banks 
of  the  historic  river,  and  our  man,  throwing 
aside  his  garments,  proceeded  to  ford  the  Jor- 
dan. In  turn  both  camels  were  led  through 
the  river;  two  donkeys  swam  across,  closely 
following  the  camels.  Our  man  carried  our 
packages  across  on  his  head,  and  after  many 
fordings  at  length  got  everything  over.  It  was 
an  interesting  sight  in  the  cool  and  light  of  the 
early  morning.  We  rested  about  half  an  hour, 
and  had  our  breakfast  off  dry  bread  and  Jordan 
water,  which,  if  not  luxurious,  was  satisfying. 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  A.   FORDER 


VIEW  ON  THE   RIVER  JORDAN 

This  view  on  the  river  is  near  the  fords  over  which  the  Israelites  crossed.  It  is  about  five 
miles  from  Jericho.  The  picture  was  taken  from  the  wooden  bridge  that  spans  the  river 
at  that  point.  Mr.  Forder  crossed  here  on  his  first  journey  into  Moab. 


INTERIOR  OF  AN  ARAB  HOUSE 

This  shows  the  fireplace  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  and  the  mud  bins  in  which  grain,  salt, 
or  flour  is  stored.  In  the  recesses  on  the  left  side  the  family  sleep,  the  floor  generally 
being  occupied  by  guests.  These  houses  have  neither  windows  nor  chimneys. 


GETTING   INTO   MOAB  9 

The  ride  across  the  plains  of  the  Jordan  was 
long  and  tiresome.  The  heat  was  terrific,  and 
the  Moab  mountains  seemed  never  to  come 
nearer.  But  they  at  last  were  reached,  and  the 
ascent  commenced.  Slowly  and  calmly  those 
camels  went  about  their  difficult  task  —  up  and 
down  places  that  seemed  impossible  for  any 
animal  to  venture,  along  the  edges  of  deep 
ravines,  over  rocks  with  surfaces  worn  smooth 
and  slippery  by  much  traffic  and  exposure  to 
storms  and  winds,  and  at  last  out  on  to  the 
extensive  and  fertile  plains  of  Moab,  at  that 
season  of  the  year  dry  and  cracked  after  the 
heat  of  the  long  summer.  We  passed  close 
under  the  shadow  of  Mount  Nebo,  but  were 
too  weary  to  realize  it  or  give  much  thought 
to  the  first  leader  of  Israel  who  died  there  on 
that  lonely  spur  in  the  mountain  range. 

Fifteen  hours  after  leaving  Jericho  we 
reached  Medeba,  a  large  village  on  the  plain. 
How  thankful  we  were  for  the  warm  welcome 
given  us  by  the  chief  of  the  place !  He  spread 
rugs  and  comforts  on  the  floor  for  us,  on  which 
we  lay,  glad  to  stretch  and  rest  our  weary 
limbs.  The  house  was  just  one  large  room ;  on 
each  side  were  raised  recesses,  in  which  the 
family  slept  or  stored  their  goods.  Wide 
arches  supported  the  roof,  which  was  made 


I0  GETTING  INTO  MOAB 

of  a  thick  layer  of  mud  and  earth  held  up  by 
beams  of  wood. 

In  usual  Arab  style  supper  was  prepared 
and  served.  Two  baked  fowls,  boiled  rice,  and 
warm  bread  made  a  very  decent  meal.  We 
ate  our  fill ;  what  remained  was  given  to  those 
who  flocked  in  to  gaze  at  us.  Coffee  followed, 
served  in  small  cups;  a  tablespoonful  was  all 
we  got,  and  for  us  it  sufficed,  for  it  was  thick 
and  strong,  and  minus  milk  or  sugar.  By  that 
time  a  lot  of  men  had  crowded  the  house  and 
had  seated  themselves  around  the  fire,  which 
was  in  a  hollow  in  the  middle  of  the  floor. 
Midst  their  noisy  jabber  and  the  smoke  of  the 
fire  and  numerous  pipes  we  fell  asleep,  and  for 
a  short  time  were  oblivious  to  our  new  and 
strange  surroundings.  Awaking  soon  after,  we 
were  not  long  in  discovering  that  myriads  of 
minute  bloodsuckers  had  attacked  us,  evidently 
with  the  intention  of  drawing  all  they  could 
from  the  newcomers.  We  learned  to  our  dis- 
may that  Medeba  was  the  residence  of  the  king 
and  queen  of  the  flea  community,  and  that 
they  never  delayed  investigating  any  one  who 
tarried  for  a  time  in  their  domains.  A  few 
snatches  of  sleep  refreshed  us  and  helped  to 
pass  away  that  lively  night. 

I  ought  to  have  said  that  our  heavy  baggage 


GETTING   INTO   MOAB  II 

left  Jerusalem  on  five  mules  about  two  hours 
before  us  the  day  we  started  ;  these  we  over- 
took at  Medeba.  We  did  not  expect  to  set  out 
again  for  a  day  or  two,  but  about  ten  o'clock 
Friday  morning  they  said  they  were  going  on. 
Our  camels  had  gone  back  to  Jerusalem,  so 
we  commenced  the  second  stage  of  our  journey 
on  horses  and  mules.  The  next  two  days'  ride 
meant  danger  and  delay  unless  we  were  fortu- 
nate enough  to  get  along  unseen. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  we  entered  the  enemy's 
territory  and  kept  moving  on  until  quite  dark. 
About  forty  men  and  animals  now  formed  our 
caravan,  many  having  decided  to  travel  with 
us,  because  in  numbers  there  was  safety. 
Without  a  sound  from  each  other  we  traversed 
those  plains  in  the  dark.  Suddenly  we  were 
surrounded  by  ten  or  twelve  men  of  the  Ham- 
eideh  tribe,  through  whose  country  we  were 
travelling  without  consent.  In  the  starlight 
they  looked  awful  fellows,  armed  with  rifles, 
revolvers,  and  swords,  and  spears  about  twelve 
feet  long.  After  much  shouting  and  talk, 
which  to  us  was  unintelligible,  they  separated 
us,  and  drove  off  all  the  loaded  animals,  after 
which  they  left  us  to  come  together  again  and 
proceed  on  our  way,  not  knowing  what  had 
gone  with  our  baggage. 


12  GETTING  INTO  MOAB 

After  about  two  hours  we  reached  an  en- 
campment of  houses  of  hair,  where  we  passed 
the  remainder  of  the  night  Before  morning 
all  the  loaded  animals  were  driven  in,  having 
been  regained  by  our  faithful  muleteers.  By 
daybreak  we  were  again  on  the  move,  hoping 
that  before  night  we  should  be  safely  housed 
in  Kerak.  Soon  we  descended  into  the  grand 
but  deep  gorge  of  Mojeb.  We  crossed  the 
river  Arnon,  which  flows  through  the  bed  of 
the  valley,  and  were  delighted  with  the  abun- 
dance of  white  and  pink  oleanders  that  grew 
on  its  banks.  We  reached  the  Kerak  side  of 
that  magnificent  gorge  about  ten  in  the  morn- 
ing ;  here  we  decided  to  stay  till  sunset,  for  we 
had  now  reached  the  territory  of  the  robber 
chiefs  of  Moab,  known  as  the  Mujellies. 

Our  men  knew  that  if  we  fell  into  the  hands 
of  these  dreaded  chiefs,  they  would  show  us 
no  mercy.  We  found  shade  and  shelter  under 
a  large  rock,  so  placed  that  even  passers-by 
could  not  see  us  unless  we  wilfully  exposed 
ourselves.  We  had  not  been  in  hiding  long 
when  we  heard  a  noisy  wrangle  going  on 
among  our  men.  Mrs.  Lethaby  crept  out 
and  caught  sight  of  the  long  spear  of  a  sheikh, 
or  chief.  He  had  come  upon  our  men  and 
said  that  some  of  them  had  robbed  one  of  his 


GETTING   INTO   MOAB  13 

tribe  of  a  gun,  and  he  must  have  something  in 
return  for  it.  After  a  stormy  quarrel  he  drove 
away  a  mule  on  which  he  had  loaded  our  beds, 
a  box  of  our  clothing,  and  my  baby  organ. 
We  gave  up  all  hope  of  ever  seeing  them 
again,  but  counted  ourselves  fortunate  in  get- 
ting them  returned  to  us  several  weeks  later. 

The  remainder  of  the  day  passed  quietly, 
and  the  rest  prepared  us  for  the  events  re- 
corded in  the  first  chapter.  There  we  were  in 
a  Bedouin  tent,  and  from  that  point  I  take  up 
the  story. 

My  wife  and  self  were  taken  into  one  of  those 
goat's-hair  homes.  Carpets  were  spread  for  us 
to  sit  on.  Men,  women,  and  children  crowded 
in  to  stare  at  us,  and  we  concluded  that  they 
were  all  gratified  at  the  capture  that  had  been 
made.  Soon  it  occurred  to  one  of  them  that  we 
might  be  hungry,  so  they  asked  us  by  means  of 
signs  if  we  would  eat.  We  nodded  our  assent, 
and  soon  they  baked  us  some  large,  thin  cakes 
of  bread,  which  were  very  good.  They  also 
made  us  coffee  and  brought  us  a  large  bowl  of 
milk.  It  was  perhaps  well  for  us  that  we  could 
not  talk  to  them ;  we  wished  we  could  have  done 
so,  then  we  might  have  got  tidings  of  our  com- 
panions and  our  belongings. 

In  about  an  hour's  time  one  of  our  men  came 


I4  GETTING  INTO   MOAB 

to  us  and  made  us  understand  that  we  were 
wanted  elsewhere.  We  got  up  and  followed 
him.  He  led  us  to  a  tent  on  the  far  side  of 
the  encampment,  and  there  we  found  our  com- 
panions. They  were  in  the  tent  of  the  chief, 
surrounded  by  his  wild  sons  and  rapacious  reti- 
nue. The  chief  demanded  money  for  our  pas- 
sage through  his  country.  Fifty  dollars  must 
be  his  before  we  were  released,  or  else  he  would 
keep  us  and  all  our  goods.  To  many  the  sum 
demanded  would  have  been  small,  but  to  us 
and  to  them  it  was  much,  so  we  refused  to 
'gratify  the  crafty  Arab's  demands. 

We  prayed  to  God  for  wisdom  and  deliver- 
ance, then  laid  down  on  the  bare  earth  and  fell 
asleep.  On  awaking  next  morning,  we  saw 
some  of  our  boxes  lying  about  the  camp  at 
any  one's  mercy.  Soon  the  women  began  to 
pull  down  the  tents  and  move  the  camp,  and 
we  plainly  saw  that  we  must  settle  something 
or  else  lose  all  we  possessed. 

We  promised  to  pay  the  amount  demanded 
on  the  condition  that  we  were  escorted  to 
Kerak  in  safety,  and  all  our  baggage  restored 
to  us.  Three  of  the  chief's  sons  were  appointed 
to  go  with  us  and  take  us  to  our  mountain  home. 
Another  start  was  made,  but  after  an  hour  or  so 
we  were  accosted  by  more  Arab  horsemen,  all 


GETTING   INTO   MOAB  15 

excited  and  furious.  Every  one  was  allowed  to 
pass  but  my  wife  and  myself.  These  new 
claimants  to  us  were  from  another  family  con- 
nected with  the  ruling  sheikh,  and  they  de- 
manded their  share  of  the  plunder  before  we 
could  pass.  After  much  wrangling  our  pro- 
tectors got  us  away  and  we  overtook  the 
others. 

At  three  in  the  afternoon  we  reached  Kerak, 
all  weary,  tired,  and  faint,  for  we  had  had  neither 
food  nor  drink  for  fifteen  hours.  In  this  man- 
ner I  was  introduced  to  the  Arabs.  Ofttimes 
afterward  I  talked  with  those  wild  fellows 
about  that  night,  only  to  have  them  reply  — 
"  What's  past  is  past,  and  what's  dead  is  dead." 

Through  all  those  first  experiences,  new  and 
hard  on  fresh  comers,  we  showed  no  outward 
signs  of  fear  or  terror.  We  realized  then,  as 
we  have  many  times  since,  that  "  the  angel  of 
the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that 
fear  him,  and  delivereth  them."  It  was  only 
the  commencement  of  much,  and  even  worse, 
that  was  to  follow  before  the  love,  respect,  con- 
fidence, and  admiration  of  those  semi-civilized 
children  of  Ishmael  were  gained,  never  to  be 
lost. 


CHAPTER  III 

WHO   WAS    CAPTURED 

SOME  knowledge  about  the  author  of  this 
book   and   his    early   life  will    enable   the 
reader  better  to  follow  and  understand  all  that 
these  pages  may  contain. 

Silver  spoons  were  not  floating  around  in 
the  home  where  I  first  saw  the  light.  I  was 
one  of  seven  children,  who  were  fortunate  in 
having  godly  parents  in  the  fullest  sense  of  the 
word.  Worldly  prosperity  was  not  ours,  neither 
were  we  poor,  and  the  future  promised  no  more 
for  me  than  the  humdrum  plod,  plod,  of  every- 
day life.  It  was  when  I  was  a  lad  of  eight 
years  that  an  announcement,  made  throughout 
my  native  city,  created  a  desire  in  my  young 
mind  to  hear  a  public  speaker.  Robert  MofTat, 
the  pioneer  of  missions  in  Africa,  was  coming 
to  speak,  and  I  gained  permission  from  rather 
unwilling  parents  to  go  and  hear  him.  The 
unwillingness  came  not  from  any  wish  or 
thought  that  it  was  no  place  for  one  so  young 
in  years,  but  rather  because  they  thought  that 

16 


WHO   WAS  CAPTURED  Ij 

bed  was  a  more  suitable  place  than  a  crowded 
hall  for  one  of  so  short  an  existence. 

When  the  night  came,  I  had  a  front  seat  in 
that  hall.  The  lights,  crowds,  close  attention 
paid  to  the  speaker,  and  other  things  still  linger 
in  my  memory,  but  the  veteran  pioneer,  with 
his  bald  head  and  long,  gray  beard,  held  me  as 
no  other  ever  did.  The  plea  for  the  Hotten- 
tots and  for  volunteers  appealed  to  some,  but 
perhaps  the  thing  that  pleased  me  as  a  boy  was 
the  story  of  the  lion  jumping  out  of  the  jungle 
and  gripping  Mr.  Moffat  by  the  shoulder,  and 
his  faithful  servant  killing  the  wild  beast,  thus 
saving  his  master's  life.  Before  that  meeting 
was  over  I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would 
be  a  missionary  when  I  grew  up.  I  made 
known  my  boyish  resolve  to  my  mother  on 
my  return  home  that  evening,  and  for  a  time 
no  more  was  heard  of  it.  Later  on  my  interest 
in  foreign  missions  was  renewed  by  hearing 
one  who  had  spent  many  years  in  China,  and 
I  again  determined  to  spend  my  life  among  the 
heathen. 

For  a  few  years  I  was  quite  an  enthusiastic 
and  successful  collector  for  foreign  missions. 
Most  of  my  half-holidays,  which  came  on 
Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  were  given  up  to 
going  from  door  to  door  asking  for  contribu- 


IS  WHO  WAS   CAPTURED 

tions  in  the  box  that  I  had  gotten  from  a  mis- 
sionary society.  Discouragements  and  rebuffs 
did  not  deter  me  from  going  ahead,  and  I  was 
soon  noted  for  being  a  successful  collector. 
This  work  was  often  made  pleasant  by  some 
incident  like  the  following. 

One  hot  afternoon  I  was  out  collecting.  A 
knock  at  a  door  brought  a  kind-hearted  do- 
mestic to  inquire  who  was  there.  "  Will  you 
please  put  something  in  my  missionary  box  ? " 
was  the  request.  The  response  was  not  money, 
but,  "  Come  in,  little  boy,  and  I  will  ask  my 
mistress."  I  entered  and  was  shown  into  a 
nicely  furnished  room  to  await  developments. 
The  servant  told  her  mistress  about  me,  and  in 
a  short  time  the  lady  of  the  house  appeared. 
She  asked  a  few  questions,  which  I  answered, 
evidently  to  her  satisfaction,  for  she  rang  the 
bell,  and  in  came  the  servant  again.  "  Bring 
in  some  refreshments  for  this  boy,"  said  the 
lady,  and  soon  the  domestic  came  back  with  a 
small  tray,  on  which  were  some  fancy  crackers, 
cake,  and  a  bottle  of  wine. 

A  glass  of  the  latter  was  poured  out  and 
offered  to  me,  but  being  a  Band  of  Hope  boy, 
I  refused  to  accept  it.  My  refusal  resulted  in 
lemonade  being  substituted  for  the  wine,  to 
which,  along  with  the  cake  and  crackers,  I  did 


WHO   WAS   CAPTURED  IQ 

boyish  justice.  After  refreshments  I  returned 
to  business,  and  had  the  joy  of  seeing  a  coin, 
worth  about  sixty  cents,  added  to  the  collection 
in  my  box. 

When  only  thirteen  years  of  age,  I  left  home 
and  was  apprenticed  to  the  baking  and  grocery 
business,  in  which  I  served  for  three  years.  At 
the  end  of  that  time,  and  during  a  brief  stay  at 
home,  I  was  led  to  give  my  heart  to  Christ, 
through  the  patience  and  persuasion  of  my  old 
Sunday-school  teacher.  No  better  prepara- 
tion than  this  could  possibly  have  preceded  my 
going  to  live  in  the  great  city  of  London, 
a  place  full  of  dangers  and  temptations  to 
young  fellows  from  country  towns.  Arrived  in 
the  great  metropolis,  I  soon  got  a  good  position 
in  a  wholesale  and  retail  grocery  store,  in  which, 
after  a  remarkably  short  time  for  one  so  young 
in  years,  I  soon  became  manager. 

I  owe  my  success  in  those  days  to  two 
things :  my  not  being  ashamed  of  my  re- 
ligious convictions  and  my  strict  adherence  to 
my  temperance  pledge.  After  business  hours 
my  evenings,  as  well  as  my  Sundays,  were 
given  up  to  work  in  slum  missions,  Sunday- 
schools,  or  young  people's  temperance  societies. 
I  was  made  missionary  secretary  to  a  large 
Sunday-school  in  London  and  raised  the  mis- 


20  WHO   WAS   CAPTURED 

sionary  collections  in  that  school  from  about 
eighty  dollars  a  year  to  more  than  three  hun- 
dred. I  came  into  contact  with  missionary 
pioneers  and  veterans  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  all  the  while  was  getting  more 
and  more  saturated  with  missionary  zeal  and 
information. 

About  this  time  I  applied  to  the  pastor  of 
my  church,  who  was  in  close  touch  with  the 
missionary  society  of  the  denomination  to 
which  I  belonged,  and  asked  him  if  he  could 
assist  me  to  get  into  the  foreign-mission  field. 
He  heard  me  patiently,  and  then  with  grave 
face  and  solemn  tones  addressed  me  thus : 
"  Young  man,  I  fear  you  are  one  of  the  most 
unlikely  to  get  into  the  mission  field.  Many 
things  are  against  you:  you  have  no  college 
training,  you  do  not  come  of  a  ministerial 
stock,"  and  other  things,  all  true,  but  not  neces- 
sary to  the  preaching  of  the  simple  gospel  in 
any  land.  I  left  that  study  thinking  that  there 
was  no  possibility  of  my  ever  leaving  my  own 
land  to  preach  the  gospel  in  any  other,  so 
settled  down  to  do  my  best  in  the  home  land. 

In  1888  I  married,  went  into  business  on 
my  own  account,  but  in  my  spare  time  kept 
busy  with  Christian  work  of  one  kind  and 
another.  I  had  yet  to  learn  the  truth  of  the 


WHO   WAS   CAPTURED  21 

words  spoken  by  the  ancient  seer,  "  My  ways 
are  not  your  ways ;  "  also  that  — 

God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform. 

God  looketh  at  the  heart  of  man,  and  knows 
his  desires,  whilst  man  looks  at  the  outward 
appearance  and  possibilities,  so  let  none  despair. 
I  was  quite  settled  in  my  home  and  prosper- 
ing in  my  business  when  unexpectedly  my 
opportunity  came  and  my  long  desire  was  re- 
alized. It  was  nearly  three  years  after  my  inter- 
view with  the  ministerial  sage  that  the  whole 
course  of  my  life  was  changed.  I  had  returned 
from  my  Sunday-school  duties,  and  was  reading 
a  missionary  magazine.  It  contained  an  article 
on  mission  work  among  the  Arabs  in  the  old 
land  of  Moab  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
Jordan.  The  work  was  one  of  great  danger, 
hardship,  and  difficulty,  and  was  being  carried 
on  by  a  married  couple  and  one  young  woman. 
As  I  read  I  was  interested,  and  especially  with 
the  last  words,  in  which  an  appeal  was  made  for  a 
young  married  man,  practical,  healthy,  and  ready 
to  rough  it,  to  go  and  help  in  this  work,  so  that 
the  tired-out  workers  might  have  a  much-needed 
rest.  I  closed  the  paper,  and  as  I  laid  it  aside 
a  voice  seemed  to  say  to  me,  "  That  is  for  you." 


22  WHO  WAS   CAPTURED 

I  could  not  get  away  from  the  impression 
made  on  me,  and  in  a  few  days  wrote  to  the 
secretary  of  that  little  mission,  which  was  sup- 
ported by  a  few  of  God's  own  whole-hearted 
people,  most  of  them  by  this  time  in  the  glory 
land. 

The  secretary  was  the  Rev.  George  Piercy, 
one  of  the  pioneers  of  missions  in  China.  The 
answer  to  my  letter  was  a  visit  from  the  head 
of  that  work  and  a  promise  of  favorable  con- 
sideration. But  there  were  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  my  acceptance,  —  a  paying  business,  a 
comfortable  home,  —  and  it  meant  sacrifice  to 
give  up  these  and  go  and  start  life  among  the 
Arabs  in  the  isolated  and  dangerous  land  of 
Moab. 

For  four  months  the  matter  dropped.  Then 
came  a  letter  saying  —  if  I  was  still  in  the  same 
mind,  the  committee  would  consider  sending  us 
out.  We  were  accepted;  in  a  short  time  my 
business  and  home  were  disposed  of  satisfac- 
torily, and  we  were  free  to  go.  A  few  months 
of  practical  training  in  hospitals  was  given  each 
of  us,  which  over  and  over  again  has  proved 
invaluable  during  the  past  fourteen  years.  My 
leaving  England  for  that  far-away,  little-known 
land  was  a  severe  trial  to  my  parents ;  quite 
recently  they  had  buried  two  of  my  brothers,  and 


WHO   WAS   CAPTURED  23 

my  going  away  was  like  a  third  break  in  the 
family  circle.  They,  however,  committed  me  to 
God,  and  have  never  regretted  the  sacrifice  it 
meant  to  them  to  see  me  leave  my  own  land, 
possibly  never  to  return. 

The  reader  will  now  understand  better  the 
conditions  and  reasons  that  led  to  my  entering 
the  mission  field.  It  was  "  Not  by  might,  nor 
by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit,  saith  the  Lord," 
and  now  that  many  years  have  passed  since  I 
started  that  new  life,  and  circumstances  many 
and  various  have  been  crowded  into  my  life,  I 
can  truly  say,  I  am  sure  it  was  God's  call  to 
me,  and  I  have  never  regretted  the  step  I  took, 
or  the  sacrifice  I  made,  to  enable  less  fortunate 
ones  to  come  to  a  knowledge  of  him  who  "  i<< 
not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but  tha*  all 
should  come  to  repentance.'5 


CHAPTER   IV 


"  WHO  ARE    THE    BEDOUIN  " 


THE  preceding  chapter  has  told  briefly 
what  circumstances  led  the  writer  to  a 
people  most  of  whom  live  "  'neath  houses  of 
hair."  It  will  here  be  suitable  to  introduce 
the  reader  to  the  nation  among  whom  the  ex- 
periences told  in  these  pages  occurred. 

The  modern  Arab  is  a  perpetuated  reality  of 
the  ancient  Ishmaelite.  Next  to  the  Jews,  no 
nation  has  had  such  an  unbroken  or  interesting 
history.  It  would  be  out  of  place  in  this  vol- 
ume to  attempt  any  detailed  secular  account 
of  the  history  of  the  Arab ;  let  the  Biblical  ac- 
count suffice. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  Ishmael  was  the 
founder  of  the  great  Arab  race.  Four  promises 
made  concerning  the  seed  of  Abraham  and 
Hagar  are  fulfilled  before  us  in  these  days. 
They  were  as  follows :  — 

To  Hagar  (Gen.  xvi.  10). 

"  I  will  multiply  thy  seed  exceedingly,  that  it 
shall  not  be  numbered  for  multitude." 

24 


ARABS  OF   MOAB,   DWELLERS  IN   TENTS 

These  are  the  three  men  who  were  with  Mr.  Forder  when  the  horses  so  intelligently  gave  the 
alarm  on  the  approach  of  robbers.  The  man  on  the  left-hand  side  is  "  Old  Faithful,"  who 
has  accompanied  the  author  on  so  many  of  his  journeys  among  the  Arabs.  These  men  belong 
to  the  same  tribe,  and  generally  camp  east  of  Kerak  in  Moab. 


"WHO   ARE  THE   BEDOUIN"  25 

To  Abraham  (Gen.  xvii.  20). 

"  As  for  Ishmael,  Behold,  I  have  blessed  him, 
and  will  make  him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply 
him  exceedingly,  .  .  .  and  I  will  make  him  a 
great  nation." 

To  Abraham  (Gen.  xxi.  13). 

"  Of  the  son  of  the  bondwoman  will  I  make 
a  nation,  because  he  is  thy  seed." 

To  Hagar  (Gen.  xxi.  18). 

"  Arise,  lift  up  the  lad,  and  hold  him  in  thy 
hand ;  for  I  will  make  him  a  great  nation." 

Thirteen  millions  of  people,  proud  of  their 
descent  from  Abraham  and  Ishmael,  represent 
the  fulfilment  of  these  four  promises. 

"  He  shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his 
brethren"  (Gen.  xvi.  12)  has  its  fulfilment  in 
an  unbroken  occupation  of  their  land  by  the 
Ishmaelites  as  a  nation.  Invaders,  one  after 
another,  have  tried  in  vain  to  get  the  Arabls 
country,  but  have  failed.  Ishmael,  represented 
by  the  Arab,  dwells  before  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth  to-day,  and  no  section  of  his  country  has 
been  taken  by  any  of  the  Christian  powers  of 
the  earth,  although  at  a  few  points  on  the  coast 
protection  is  guaranteed  to  some  of  the  chiefs 
by  Great  Britain  or  France. 

The  names  of  the  twelve  sons  of  Ishmael, 
recorded  in  Genesis  xxv.  13,  14,  15,  have  not 


26  "WHO  ARE   THE   BEDOUIN" 

altogether  been'  superseded  by  more  modern 
designations.  Many  of  the  names  with  only 
some  slight  variation  in  pronunciation  or  trans- 
posing are  still  found  in  Arabia.  Towns,  lo- 
calities, and  even  families  bear  some  of  the 
names  exactly  as  they  are  given  in  the  above 
reference. 

That  Arabia  has  always  been  the  home  and 
land  of  the  Arab  proper  there  is  no  doubt. 
Long  before  the  children  of  Israel  possessed 
the  promised  land,  the  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham through  Ishmael  possessed  their  land. 
"And  they  dwelt  from  Havilah  unto  Shur,  that 
is  before  Egypt"  (Gen.  xxv.  18)  is  sufficient 
proof  that  they  occupied  the  peninsula  of 
Arabia.  A  thousand  years  later  their  land  was 
spoken  of  by  Isaiah  as  "  the  desert  of  the 
sea"  (xxi.  i). 

Division  of  the  Nation.  —  The  Arabs  soon 
became  divided  into  two  communities, —  the  set- 
tled and  the  nomadic.  The  Revised  Version 
of  Genesis  (xxv.  16)  speaks  of  the  villages  and 
encampments  of  Ishmael.  Hundreds  of  years 
after,  in  Isaiah  xlii.  u,  we  read  of  the  encamp- 
ments that  Kedar  doth  inhabit,  "  lit."  Later 
again  Jeremiah  speaks  about  the  tents,  cur- 
tains, flocks,  vessels,  and  camels  of  Kedar,  and 
also  refers  to  this  people  as  a  nation,  "  wealthy, 


"WHO   ARE  THE   BEDOUIN1'  2? 

dwelling  without  care,  having  neither  gates  nor 
bars,  dwelling  alone"  (Jer.  xlix.  28-31).  The 
Bedouin  are  that  section  of  the  great  Arab 
nation  that  are  referred  to  above. 

Every  Bedouin  is  an  Arab,  but  all  Arabs  are 
not  Bedouin.  A  Bedouin  is  one  who  neither 
ploughs  nor  sows  ;  he  breeds  flocks  of  goats  and 
sheep  and  herds  of  camels.  His  home  is  in 
the  wilderness  or  desert.  His  food  he  gets 
from  the  towns  and  villages  of  Arabia,  giving 
stock  in  exchange  for  dates,  grain,  and  the  few 
other  necessities  of  life.  The  dwelling  of  the 
nomad  or  Bedouin  is  a  black  tent,  literally  "  a 
house  of  hair,"  so  called  from  its  being  made 
entirely  of  goat's  hair,  which  is  collected,  spun, 
and  woven  by  the  women  in  those  lands.  "  Black 
as  the  tents  of  Kedar "  (S.  Sol.  i.  5)  is  not 
an  imaginary  expression,  but  a  literal  one,  the 
hair  of  the  Arabian  goat  from  which  these 
tents  are  made  being  black.  Kedar,  the  second 
son  of  Ishmael  (Gen.  xxv.  13),  was  probably 
the  founder  of  the  nomadic  section  of  the  Arab 
race  now  called  Bedouin. 

Nebaioth,  the  first-born  of  Ishmael  (Gen.  xxv. 
13),  settled  in  the  caves  and  dens  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Arabia,  and  later  in  their  history  built 
houses  which  eventually  became  settlements. 
The  settled  Arab  looks  despisingly  at  the 


28  "WHO   ARE   THE   BEDOUIN" 

Bedouin  and  considers  him  much  below  him 
in  every  way.  Call  a  town  or  village  dweller 
a  Bedouy  and  you  insult  him.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  desert  dweller  pities  the  settled  peo- 
ple, because  they  are  debarred  from  enjoying 
the  liberty  and  healthy  life  of  the  desert. 

Both  sections,  however,  have  many  things  in 
common :  their  hospitality  is  proverbial  and 
wonderful ;  in  religion  they  hang  together,  al- 
though the  city  people  are  more  strict  in  their 
religious  observances  than  the  unfettered  nom- 
ads. The  style  of  dress  varies  little.  The 
women  in  the  towns  and  villages  are  generally 
secluded,  whilst  the  women  of  the  "  houses  of 
hair  "  go  unveiled  and  have  their  liberty. 

The  Arabs  as  a  nation  have  not  always  been 
prominent  in  either  Biblical  or  secular  history, 
but  certain  allusions  to  them,  from  time  to  time, 
strikingly  remind  us  of  their  continuous  exist- 
ence. It  was  to  a  company  of  Ishmaelites  that 
Joseph  was  sold  and  taken  into  Egypt.  Picture 
the  swooping  down  upon  the  servants  of  Job, 
their  being  slain,  and  the  oxen  and  asses  being 
driven  off.  Who  were  the  marauders  ?  The 
section  of  Ishmaelites  known  as  the  Sabeans. 
From  whence  did  the  Queen  of  Sheba  come 
to  visit  Solomon  ?  From  the  land  of  the  Arab. 
And  probably  the  men  who  came  from  the  East, 


"WHO   ARE   THE   BEDOUIN"  29 

seeking  the  infant  Saviour,  belonged  to  the 
Bedouin  of  Arabia.  The  New  Testament 
gives  evidence  to  the  existence  of  the  Ara- 
bians, for  they  were  present  in  Jerusalem  at  the 
day  of  Pentecost  (Acts,  ii.  u). 

Later  secular  history  occasionally  pushes  the 
Arab  to  the  front  to  be  heard  of  for  a  short 
time,  and  then  to  retire  into  seclusion  again. 
The  experiences  of  the  Arabs  have  not  always 
been  of  such  a  nature  as  to  help  them  to  a 
better  state  either  socially,  religiously,  or  com- 
mercially. From  the  time  Ishmael  with  his 
mother  was  driven  away  from  the  tent  of 
Abraham,  their  "  hands  have  been  against  every 
man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  them." 
Physically,  they  are  a  fine  race,  slim  and  wiry, 
able  to  stand  fatigue  and  privation.  To  an 
enemy  they  are  treacherous  and  cruel,  but  to 
their  friends,  faithful  and  kind.  Once  gain 
the  confidence  of  the  Arab  and  you  have  made 
a  lifelong  friend. 

As  a  nation  they  have  no  contact  with  in- 
toxicating drinks ;  immorality  is  promptly  and 
severely  dealt  with  by  the  killing  of  the  guilty 
parties.  They  are  fond  of  their  children, 
especially  their  boys,  the  advent  of  a  son  into 
the  family  causing  a  change  in  the  name  of 
the  father ;  henceforth  he  will  be  known  as  the 


30  "WHO   ARE   THE   BEDOUIN" 

"  father  of  -  — ,"  whatever  the  name  of  his  first 
son  may  be. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Bedouin  are  free 
from  any  form  of  government.  Every  tribe 
and  family  has  its  sheikh,  or  chief,  to  whom 
they  refer  in  times  of  doubt,  difficulty,  and 
danger.  His  decision  often  settles  matters. 
The  position  is  not  hereditary,  but  is  often 
kept  in  the  same  family,  the  only  reason  for 
choosing  one  from  another  family  being  the 
inability  of  the  son  of  the  late  chief  to  conduct 
affairs  or  rule  his  people. 

The  events  and  experiences  related  in  this 
book  may  lead  some  of  the  readers  to  conclude 
that  the  Arabs  are  a  very  unsociable  and  dan- 
gerous lot  to  live  among.  After  many  years 
among  them,  I  firmly  believe  that  ignorant  fa- 
naticism, coupled  with  deeply  embedded  super- 
stition, has  been  the  cause  of  much  that  I  have 
passed  through.  Give  the  Bedouin  a  chance, 
gain  his  respect  and  confidence,  and  you  have 
made  a  faithful  and  lifelong  friend.  Since 
the  day  that  Ishmael  was  cast  out  into  the 
desert,  it  seems  that  every  man's  hand  has 
been  against  him,  but  a  brighter  day  is  dawn- 
ing for  him. 


AN  ARAB   SHEIK 

The  sheik,  or  chief,  is  one  who  controls  a  tribe,  town,  village  or  encampment.  Tribal 
disputes  are  referred  to  him  for  settlement.  Among  the  nomads,  he  orders  the  camp  to  be 
moved  and  selects  the  new  "  pitch."  This  sheik,  who  is  a  Christian,  is  the  chief  of  Me- 
daba,  and  a  good  friend  to  the  author  of  this  book. 


CHAPTER   V 

NEW    EXPERIENCES    UNDER    DIFFICULTIES 

OUR  arrival  in  Kerak  was  the  cause  of 
much  excitement  for  many  days.  The 
enormous  demands  of  the  avaricious  chiefs 
caused  us  much  annoyance.  The  Turkish 
government  had  no  authority  in  the  region, 
and  we  had  no  one  to  appeal  to  for  help.  The 
ruling  sheikh  was  unable  to  control  either  his 
many  sons  or  others  who  considered  them- 
selves of  importance. 

In  time  our  baggage  was  brought  in,  but 
we  discovered  that  some  of  it  had  been  opened, 
and  many  things  were  missing.  We  made 
our  home  in  a  room  about  twenty  feet  square, 
half  underground ;  there  was  neither  window 
nor  chimney,  and  the  only  opening  into  it  was 
the  door.  The  fireplace  was  in  the  middle 
of  the  mud  floor,  and  the  smoke  had  to  escape 
as  well  as  it  could.  If  an  adverse  wind  kept 
it  from  going  out  at  the  door,  \ve  went  out 
instead,  —  driven  by  smarting  eyes  and  chok- 
ing lungs.  We  had  no  means  of  keeping  out 

3' 


32     NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

the  many  curious  ones  that  came  to  investigate 
the  new  arrivals,  and  the  only  way  to  get  pri- 
vacy was  to  close  and  lock  the  door  and  con- 
sign ourselves  to  semi-darkness. 

We  found  a  small  boy's  school  which  had 
been  carried  on  by  our  predecessors.  Many 
of  the  lads  spoke  good  English  and  had  be- 
come quite  civilized  and  well  behaved.  One 
of  these  lads  was  put  at  my  disposal  as  inter- 
preter; by  his  aid  and  my  own  persistence  I 
soon  gained  a  practical  knowledge  of  the 
Arabic  language.  My  time  for  the  first  few 
weeks  was  divided  between  attending  the  sick 
who  gathered  about  my  door  and  fixing  up 
our  primitive  home.  Tables,  stools,  and  cup- 
boards had  to  be  made  from  packing-cases, 
and  thankful  I  was  that  I  had  learned  to  use 
a  few  tools.  The  Arabs  were  all  interested  in 
my  doings,  and  would  sit  for  hours  and  watch 
me.  Gradually  I  became  an  M.A.  to  them,  so 
clever  did  they  esteem  me. 

One  of  my  earliest  experiences  gave  me  a 
good  record  among  the  men  who  were  inclined 
to  shun  me  as  one  to  be  feared.  I  was  passing 
up  through  the  narrow  streets  of  that  Moab 
city,  and  hearing  some  yelling  turned  aside  to 
find  out  what  it  meant.  I  entered  a  house, 
dimly  lighted,  and  saw  a  man  being  held  down 


NEW   EXPERIENCES  UNDER   DIFFICULTIES     33 

by  four  or  five  others.  One  was  leaning  over 
him  and  doing  something  to  the  fellow's  mouth. 
My  appearance  caused  a  pause  in  the  opera- 
tions, and  on  inquiring  I  was  told  the  man 
stretched  on  the  floor  had  the  toothache  and 
had  come  to  the  blacksmith  to  have  it  taken 
out.  I  asked  him  why  he  yelled  so.  He  told 
me  "  because  the  man  with  the  pinchers  got 
hold  of  several  teeth  and  part  of  his  tongue 
and  pulled."  I  suggested  that  I  could  make  a 
better  job  of  it  than  the  blacksmith,  at  which 
he  got  mad,  because  that  meant  a  loss  of  some 
wheat  which  was  to  be  his  payment. 

My  suggestion  prevailed,  and  the  sufferer 
made  his  way  to  my  house  to  await  my  return. 
When  I  arrived,  I  found  a  good  crowd  waiting 
to  see  what  would  be  done  for  the  man  with 
the  toothache.  I  got  my  forceps,  which  were 
thoroughly  examined  by  all  present.  The  suf- 
ferer was  fearful  lest  I  should  fail  to  accom- 
plish what  the  blacksmith  had  attempted.  He 
asked  for  proof  that  I  could  remove  his  tooth. 
I  showed  him  a  bottle  with  a  few  teeth  in,  and 
assured  him  that  what  I  had  done  for  others  I 
could  do  for  him.  He  yielded,  and  in  a  few 
moments  was  relieved.  Taking  his  tooth  he 
went  out  into  the  sunlight,  threw  it  toward  the 
sun,  exclaiming  "  O  sun,  take  the  tooth  of  a 


34    NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

donkey  and  give  me  the  tooth  of  a  gazelle." 
He  then  turned  to  me  and  asked  me  to  put  in 
a  tooth  in  place  of  the  one  I  had  extracted.  I 
told  him  it  was  impossible  to  do  so,  and  he 
went  off  disappointed  but  grateful.  My  fame 
began  to  spread,  and  soon  I  had  as  much  surgi- 
cal and  medical  work  as  I  could  do.  This  gave 
the  natives  confidence  in  me,  and  some  that  had 
treated  me  badly  began  to  become  friendly. 
They  brought  me  all  sorts  of  things  to  mend, 
—  boots,  wooden  bowls,  saddles,  boxes,  —  and 
to  the  best  of  my  ability  I  fixed  them. 

In  the  noon  I  had  a  class  of  boys  that  came 
for  one  hour  to  learn  English.  I  think  I 
learned  more  Arabic  from  them  than  they  did 
English  from  me,  but  the  hour  spent  together 
was  a  mutual  benefit. 

Often  I  would  go  to  some  encampment  of 
Bedouin  to  attend  some  who  were  sick  or  had 
been  wounded  in  a  fight.  One  of  my  first 
experiences  in  an  Arab  camp  will  be  of  interest 
to  the  reader.  We  heard  that  a  fierce  fight  had 
taken  place  between  some  of  the  Keraki  Arabs 
and  those  of  a  neighboring  tribe,  the  latter 
being  famed  for  their  ferocity  and  daring.  In 
the  fight  eight  were  killed,  and  the  next  day 
brought  into  the  city  to  be  buried.  We  heard 
that  many  were  wounded  and  three  likely  to  die. 


NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     35 

Next  day  two  men  came  to  our  house  and 
asked  if  I  would  give  them  medicine  to  take  to 
the  wounded  lying  in  a  camp  away  on  the 
plains.  At  the  same  time  a  man  came  with  a 
message  that  the  sheikh  who  was  in  the  city 
wanted  to  see  me  at  once.  With  my  lad  as 
interpreter,  I  went  to  him,  and  found  him  with 
several  of  his  sons  and  minor  chiefs  sitting  on 
a  housetop  holding  a  council.  I  shook  hands 
with  them  all  round,  and  then  took  a  seat  by 
the  side  of  our  chief.  The  last  time  I  was  in 
their  company  was  under  very  different  circum- 
stances. Then  I  was  their  prisoner  in  a  house 
of  hair;  now  I  was  their  guest,  by  invitation. 
The  old  chief  said  to  me,  "  It  is  my  wish  that 
you  go  and  doctor  the  wounded  out  in  the 
camp."  It  was  about  five  hours'  ride  away  from 
the  city,  but  they  told  me  it  was  quite  near. 
The  chief  said  I  should  have  an  escort  to  keep 
me  from  interference,  and  that  he  would  provide 
a  horse  for  me  to  ride.  I  told  him  I  would  go, 
and  would  be  ready  in  half  an  hour.  My  boy, 
Mohammed,  was  to  accompany  me,  to  act  as 
interpreter. 

After  eating  some  food,  for  Mrs.  Forder  got 
me  a  hasty  meal  whilst  I  packed  my  knapsack 
with  medicines  and  instruments  which  I  thought 
I  should  most  likely  require,  I  made  my  way 


36    NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

up  into  the  city.  In  a  few  minutes  a  horse  was 
brought  for  me  and  a  mule  for  my  boy,  and 
away  we  went  with  two  wild-looking  men,  quite 
intending  to  return  on  the  morrow.  It  was  a 
very  long  ride,  and  tiring  as  well,  up  the  hills 
and  over  mountains,  down  into  deep  valleys  and 
across  never  ending  plains,  until  just  before  sun- 
set we  came  upon  the  camp  of  about  ninety 
tents  pitched  in  a  valley.  I  was  very  glad  to 
get  off  my  horse  and  stretch  my  legs,  but  I  was 
anxious  to  do  what  I  could  for  the  sufferers  be- 
fore dark,  so  asked  where  they  were,  and  also 
for  the  man  that  was  wounded  the  most. 

I  was  taken  to  a  large  tent,  in  which  lay  a 
man  who  had  nine  wounds  from  guns,  spears, 
swords,  and  daggers,  and  it  was  evident  to  me 
that  I  needed  the  knowledge  of  a  fully  qualified 
surgeon  for  the  task  that  was  before  me.  As  I 
stood  over  the  man  and  saw  the  cuts  from  the 
sword,  some  six  inches  long,  and  the  gunshot 
wounds,  I  shook  and  trembled  like  a  leaf,  but 
offering  up  a  short  and  silent  prayer  to  my 
Master  in  Heaven  for  courage  and  wisdom  for 

o 

the  task,  I  set  to  work  to  sew  up  and  bandage 
one  place  after  another,  until  the  poor  man  was 
a  little  more  comfortable  than  before.  All  the 
time  I  was  doing  this  I  was  surrounded  by 
some  seventy  or  eighty  men  and  women,  who 


NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES     37 

were  surprised  to  see  me  sew  up  the  open 
cuts. 

I  then  asked  for  the  next  man.  Although  it 
was  now  dark,  I  said  I  would  do  the  three  men 
that  were  so  badly  hurt,  but  they  quickly  told 
me  there  were  twenty-two  like  the  one  I  had 
just  seen.  Of  course  I  could  not  attend  to  all 
of  them  that  evening ;  so,  doing  my  utmost  for 
three,  I  went  back  to  my  first  patient,  and  asked 
for  something  to  eat.  They  said  I  was  to  sleep 
in  this  tent,  and  then  they  set  about  making 
bread  for  me  and  the  lad  ;  this  was  made  in 
large,  thin  cakes,  and  was  very  good.  They 
gave  us  three  eggs  to  eat  with  the  bread.  I 
asked  for  water  so  that  I  could  make  some  tea, 
but  what  they  brought  was  like  mud,  and  I 
could  not  use  it.  In  a  short  time  a  man  came 
in  with  some  sheep's  milk,  and  we  gladly  drank 
it;  this  was  our  evening  meal. 

Whilst  we  were  sitting  round  the  fire  I  told 
my  boy  to  ask  if  we  should  read  to  them  from 
God's  Book.  Some  said  yes  ;  so,  having  an 
Arabic  copy  of  Deuteronomy  and  of  Matthew 
with  me,  I  told  Mohammed  to  read  the  Com- 
mandments, and  I  said  a  few  words  to  accom- 
pany them.  Some  of  the  men  were  attentive; 
others  only  mocked  and  laughed  at  us. 

In    this    tent    there    was    the    usual    Arab 


38    NEW  EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

mixture,  and  visitors  are  supposed  to  make 
themselves  quite  at  home  amongst  it  all.  The 
varied  inmates  of  our  tent  were :  men,  women, 
and  children,  goats,  kids,  sheep,  lambs,  dogs,  and 
puppies,  two  donkeys,  three  cows  and  one  calf, 
two  horses  and  one  mule,  and  fowls  without 
number. 

Now  you  will  guess  that,  with  the  noises 
from  all  these,  I  did  not  care  much  about 'the 
situation,  and  outside  the  tent  were  hundreds 
of  goats  and  sheep  contributing  to  the  noise. 
About  eight  o'clock  the  owner  of  the  tent 
asked  if  I  wanted  to  sleep,  and  as  I  was  very 
tired,  I  said  yes ;  so  he  laid  a  thin  rug  over  some 
dry  heather  and  grass,  and  motioned  me  to  lie 
down.  After  having  silently  prayed  to  God  for 
protection,  Mohammed  and  I  lay  down  without 
a  covering  and  tried  to  sleep;  but  the  groans 
and  cough  of  the  sick  man,  the  coarse  laughing 
and  shouting  of  the  men  and  women,  and  the 
different  animals  inside  and  out  made  sleep 
almost  impossible.  At  last  I  did  fall  into  a 
good  sleep,  and  had  forgotten  all  my  surround- 
ings, when  I  felt  some  one  shaking  me. 

Opening  my  eyes,  I  saw  the  man  who  was 
ill  being  held  up  on  his  legs  by  several  men, 
and,  on  awaking  my  lad,  found  out  that  they 
said  "  he  had  a  pain  and  wanted  medicine " ; 


NEW   EXPERIENCES    UNDER   DIFFICULTIES     39 

they  thought  it  would  do  him  good  to  walk 
him  about.  I  quickly  made  them  lay  him  on 
his  rude  bed,  and  told  them  that  was  the  way 
to  kill  him.  Giving  him  a  sleeping  draught,  I 
again  lay  down  and  tried  to  sleep,  but  the 
wind  had  risen  in  great  force  and  was  blow- 
ing through  the  tent,  and  it  was  very  cold. 
At  last  I  again  fell  asleep,  when  another  good 
shaking  aroused  me,  to  find  that  the  rain  was 
coming  down  in  torrents  and  dripping  through 
on  me ;  there  was  quite  a  pool  in  the  place 
where  I  was  lying.  For  the  rest  of  the  night  I 
sat  over  the  fire  listening  to  the  wind  and  rain, 
and  again  and  again  wished  that  I  was  safe  in 
our  humble  abode  at  Kerak. 

At  last  the  morning  dawned,  but  with  it  no 
improvement  in  the  elements.  Having  eaten 
some  bread  and  drunk  some  milk,  I  told  them 
I  would  see  the  other  wounded.  I  dare  not 
attempt  to  describe  the  awful  state  of  the  poor 
men  ;  every  one  of  them  needed  the  care  and 
attention  of  the  best  hospital  in  the  world. 
However,  God  made  me  useful  to  them,  and  I 
carefully  washed,  sewed  up,  and  bandaged  all 
their  wounds.  Some  of  them  were  very  thankful 
and  kissed  me  over  and  over  again  ;  some  of 
their  mothers  and  wives  gave  me  raisins  and 
prunes  and  other  things  to  eat.  By  the  time  I 


40    NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

had  finished,  the  rain  was  over,  and  I  asked  to 
be  taken  back  to  the  city  as  arranged,  but  not 
one  man  would  move  to  go  with  us,  so  I  said  I 
would  walk.  They  all  said  I  was  to  stay  until 
the  wounded  men  were  well,  and  they  should 
not  let  me  go  away  from  the  tents.  They  also 
said  that  our  sheikh  told  them  I  was  to  stay 
ten  days  ;  this  was  a  lie,  and  I  told  them  so. 
Then  the  rain  began  to  pour  down  again,  and 
I  and  my  lad  started  to  walk  to  Kerak,  and  set 
off  up  the  hill.  When  we  reached  the  top, 
some  twenty  of  the  men  came  running  after 
us  and  took  away  my  boy  from  me,  and  one 
man,  who  afterward  proved  a  true  friend,  took 
off  his  large  "  abba,"  or  cloak,  and  put  it  over  me 
to  keep  me  dry.  Then  three  or  four  of  them 
pushed  and  carried  me  back  to  the  camp,  and 
put  me  in  the  tent  where  I  had  slept  the  night 
before. 

This  tent  was  a  miserable  shelter,  and  the 
man  who  covered  me  with  his  coat  seemed  to 
understand  that  I  was  not  as  comfortable  as 
possible,  so  he  took  me  away  over  another  hill, 
and  we  came  on  about  twelve  more  tents,  in 
one  of  which  he  lived.  Here  he  put  plenty  of 
rugs  for  me  to  lie  on,  and  then  told  the  woman 
to  make  a  big  fire,  to  warm  and  dry  me.  Next 
he  asked  what  I  would  eat  —  should  they  kill  a 


NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER    DIFFICULTIES     41 

sheep,  goat,  lamb,  or  kid  ?  Anything  that  "  was 
in  my  heart "  he  would  do  for  me.  I  asked  for 
a  fowl,  and  some  salt  and  onions  ;  these  were 
quickly  brought  in,  and  I  cleaned  and  cooked 
this  fowl  in  my  own  way,  without  any  native 
messes.  They  baked  me  bread,  and  Mohammed 
and  I  made  a  decent  meal,  after  which  my  Arab 
friend  made  me  coffee  with  sugar  and  milk  in 
it.  We  found  out  afterward  that  this  man 
had  lived  in  Damascus  and  Beyrout,  and  had 
seen  a  little  of  European  ways  and  manners. 

After  we  had  eaten,  we  went  round  to  the 
worst  of  the  patients  and  made  them  easy. 
One  man  had  his  nose  cut  clean  off,  and  his 
mother  produced  this  severed  member  for  me 
to  sew  on  again,  but  I  could  not  comply  with 
her  request,  although  she  entreated  me  to  do 
so.  Night  came  on,  and  I  was  made  very  com- 
fortable by  the  fire.  I  asked  if  we  should  read 
to  them  from  God's  Book;  they  assented,  and 
my  lad  read,  and  I  explained  the  Command- 
ments and  a  few  verses  from  St.  Matthew ;  they 
were  very  attentive.  Afterward  they  began 
to  question  me  on  many  subjects :  How  much 
money  did  I  have  to  pay  for  my  wife  ?  Where 
was  my  sword,  dagger,  gun,  and  spear?  To 
the  first  I  replied,  "  English  people  do  not  buy 
their  wives."  To  the  other  question  I  said  that, 


42    NEW  EXPERIENCES   UNDER   DIFFICULTIES 

God  was  stronger  than  man,  and  He  took  care 
of  me.  They  could  not  realize  this,  and  one 
man  offered  to  give  me  his  pistol.  Questions 
followed  about  the  Queen  ;  then  they  asked 
"  whether  the  people  in  my  country  had  such 
nice  tents  to  live  in  as  they  had."  I  told 
them  of  the  large  and  beautiful  houses  we  had 
in  my  land,  in  which  they  were  interested. 

At  a  late  hour  I  fell  asleep,  and  slept  till 
daybreak,  when  I  arose ;  having  eaten  some 
bread  and  drunk  some  milk,  I  prepared  to  walk 
to  Kerak.  I  looked  round  for  my  Arab  friend, 
but  he  had  gone  away  with  some  flocks.  Then 
one  well-dressed  man  came  up  and  said  if  I 
would  go  and  see  his  brother  and  dress  his 
wounds,  he  would  take  us  both  to  Kerak.  I 
did  so,  and  then  looked  for  my  man,  but  he  was 
missing;  three  times  I  had  been  treated  like 
this,  so  I  determined  to  set  out,  as  there  was 
every  prospect  of  a  fine  day.  Again  we  climbed 
to  the  top  of  the  hill,  some  thirty  or  forty  men 
shouting  after  us  to  come  back  ;  then  they  tried 
again  to  force  us  back.  In  the  middle  of  the 
struggle  my  Arab  friend  suddenly  appeared.  I 
believe  God  sent  him  just  then.  He  quickly 
scattered  the  ravening  wolves,  and  said  he 
would  take  us  to  the  city.  As  he  had  only 
just  recovered  from  an  attack  of  fever,  he  said 


2* 

heated    the^ 
elsily  broken 


OVENS   USED  BY  THE  ARABS 

by  the  W°,mln    a?d    hardened  in  the  sun,  answer  their  purpose  well. 
and  ,  brushwood   are  used  to  heat  these    mud  ovens,  and  once 
&        g  time'        hey  take  many  days  to  construct    and    are 


NEW   EXPERIENCES   UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     43 

he  must  go  back  to  the  camp  and  get  a  horse. 
Leaving  his  "abba,"  pipe,  big  boots,  and  head- 
dress, as  a  pledge  of  his  return,  away  he  went, 
and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  returned,  and  we 
started  for  Kerak.  After  about  three  hours, 
walking  over  ploughed  ground  and  soft  turf, 
we  came  in  sight  of  the  old  castle  at  Kerak, 
but  still  two  hours'  ride  from  us.  My  lad  said, 
"  See,  Mr.  Forder,  the  castle ;  I  am  very  joyful !  " 
So  was  I,  and  sang  in  real  earnest  the  beautiful 
hymn,  commencing :  — 

As  when  the  weary  traveller  gains 
The  height  of  some  o'erlooking  hill, 

His  heart  revives  if  'cross  the  plains 
He  sees  his  home,  though  distant  still. 

We  plodded  on,  passing  two  hyenas  and 
some  foxes,  and  about  three  in  the  afternoon 
reached  Kerak.  Our  return  caused  quite  a 
commotion,  but  all  seemed  glad  to  see  me 
again.  Thus  ended  my  visit  by  invitation  to 
an  Arab  encampment.  Though  rather  rough 
and  unpleasant,  yet  it  was  an  experience  that  I 
can  now  look  back  upon  with  pleasure.  To  be 
used  by  God  to  help  those  poor  ignorant  people 
was  an  honor ! 


CHAPTER  VI 

THROUGH    TRIALS    ENEMIES    BECOME    FRIENDS 

THE  first  six  months  of  my  life  among  the 
Arabs  had  passed  quickly,  and  I  trust 
profitably,  to  those  to  whom  I  had  gladly  minis- 
tered. A  kinder  feeling  toward  the  mission 
was  manifest,  especially  from  those  who  had 
been  its  opponents  since  it  was  commenced. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lethaby  left  Kerak  two  weeks 
after  our  arrival  and  went  to  England  for  a  well- 
earned  rest.  Mr.  Lethaby  never  returned,  and 
his  wife  only  came  back,  with  much  sorrow  of 
heart,  to  take  away  their  few  things.  Events 
sad  and  mysterious  prevented  the  founders  of 
that  mission  from  returning  to  it,  and  I  was  left 
to  carry  it  on.  Assisted  by  my  wife,  whom  the 
Arabs  had  learned  to  love  and  serve,  I  worked 
from  sunrise  until  evening,  helping  the  people 
and  teaching  the  boys. 

On  Saturday  morning,  May  7,  1892,  just  eight 
months  after  we  entered  Moab,  my  wife  fell 

44 


ENEMIES   BECOME   FRIENDS  45 

dead  in  our  house.  Without  any  sign  of  failing 
health,  or  time  for  a  parting  word,  she  was 
called  from  earth  to  heaven.  The  Arabs  were 
broken-hearted  about  it  and  showed  me  great 
kindness  in  those  days  of  darkness  and  sorrow. 
The  sad  news  spread  rapidly,  and  before  night- 
fall many  of  our  chiefs  had  come  into  the  city. 
We  settled  to  bury  my  wife  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing; so  early  on  the  Lord's  day  the  chiefs  of 
Moab  carried  to  her  grave  the  body  of  the  first 
one  who  had  given  her  life  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Bedouin  of  Moab.  Those  same  men  a  few 
months  before  had  captured  us  as  we  entered 
their  land,  now  they  shed  tears  as  they  com- 
mitted that  body  to  the  grave.  After  the  burial 
those  same  men  came  to  me,  saying,  "  You  must 
not  think  of  leaving  our  country  now.  Having 
buried  your  dead  in  our  midst,  you  have  become 
a  son  of  the  land ;  we  are  now  brothers,  so  do 
not  go  away."  Enemies  had  become  friends 
through  a  variety  of  events  permitted  by  an 
All-wise  God  but  hard  to  understand. 

Our  nearest  post-office  was  a  hundred  miles 
away,  and  it  was  necessary  for  me  to  go  and 
send  home  the  sad  news.  I  started  the  same 
day  and  was  escorted  by  two  of  our  chief's  sons 
to  the  limit  of  their  territory.  I  returned  after 
about  eight  days  and  was  again  met  by  some  of 


46  ENEMIES   BECOME   FRIENDS 

our  chiefs.  They  insisted  on  my  going  to  their 
tents  with  them,  which  I  did.  They  killed  a 
sheep,  made  coffee  for  me,  gave  me  presents  of 
milk,  eggs,  bread,  and  sundry  other  things,  and 
treated  me  in  the  kindest  possible  way.  I  slept 
in  the  tent  of  the  head  man,  and  early  next 
morning  set  out  for  the  city,  accompanied  by 
two  of  the  younger  chiefs,  who  brought  me  to 
my  house  safely. 

The  news  had  reached  the  city  that  I  was 
returning,  and  every  one  turned  out  to  welcome 
me.  Our  schoolboys  and  my  English  class 
came  running  down  the  mountain  side  to  meet 
me.  Meals  were  prepared  in  many  homes  for 
me,  and  numerous  presents  of  food,  fruit,  and 
more  things  were  forced  upon  me.  What  a  dif- 
ferent reception  to  the  one  I  received  less  than  a 
year  before,  and  since  then  matters  have  im- 
proved and  such  experiences  belong  to  the  past. 
My  only  companion  and  fellow-worker  in  those 
days  was  an  English  woman  who  had  gone  to 
Kerak  two  years  before  me.  She,  like  myself, 
made  many  friends  among  the  Arabs,  until  cir- 
cumstances compelled  her  to  retire,  never  to 
return  to  the  mission  field  again. 

My  first  letter  home  after  my  return  gives 
some  account  of  how  my  time  was  spent  and  how 
I  made  more  friends ;  a  part  of  it  reads  thus :  — 


ENEMIES    BECOME    FRIENDS  4? 

"  Now  I  must  tell  you  how  busy  I  have  been 
since  I  returned,  and  what  dreadful  doings  have 
taken  place.  Last  Wednesday,  the  25th,  a 
fight  took  place  between  Mujellies  and  the  next 
tribe,  the  Skour ;  two  brothers,  sons  of  Sheikh 
Khalil,  were  cruelly  murdered,  not  killed  in  fair 
fighting,  but  captured  and  killed  in  a  barbarous 
manner.  These  two  were  our  best  friends 
among  the  Mujellies,  so  that  it  is  to  us  a  really 
serious  loss;  they  were  fine  young  men,  and 
much  respected  by  the  Keraki.  Besides  these, 
two  more,  sons  of  sheikhs,  and  two  Keraki  as 
well,  were  killed. 

On  Thursday  morning  the  sad  news  was 
brought  to  the  city,  and  at  once  men,  women, 
and  children  joined  in  the  wailing,  strong  men 
crying  like  children  from  real  grief.  Two  hours 
later  the  bodies  arrived  loaded  on  three  camels ; 
the  sight  was  one  I  shall  never  forget,  and  the 
wailing  of  the  women  cannot  be  described. 
When  the  bodies  were  washed,  I  stood  by  and 
saw  all  the  wounds ;  it  was  a  dreadful  sight ; 
such  butchery  I  never  want  to  see  again. 

During  these  proceedings  and  the  funeral 
following,  a  request  came  that  I  should  at  once 
go  out  to  the  tents  to  see  a  wounded  man,  son 
of  one  of  the  sheikhs,  a  cruel  man.  At  first 
I  refused,  as  a  boy  only  was  to  go  with  me, 


48  ENEMIES   BECOME   FRIENDS 

and  the  country  was  in  such  a  disturbed  state, 
the  Skour  being  bold  enough  to  come  into 
Kerak  territory ;  the  sheikh  then  said,  '  Wait 
until  the  morning  and  I  will  go  with  you 
myself.' 

Next  morning  we  started  at  six  o'clock,  tak- 
ing plenty  of  medicines,  etc.,  with  us.  After 
four  hours'  ride  we  reached  the  tents,  and  I 
found  the  poor  fellow  dreadfully  wounded ;  I 
sewed  up  spear  and  sword  wounds,  and  made 
him  comfortable.  In  the  afternoon  the  head 
sheikh,  who  had  lost  his  two  sons,  came  from 
the  city,  accompanied  by  all  the  other  sheikhs ; 
they  did  all  they  possibly  could  to  make  me 
comfortable,  killed  a  sheep  for  me,  and  kept  me 
well  supplied  with  coffee  and  milk.  I  slept  with 
them  that  night,  and  the  following  day  returned 
to  the  city  to  get  more  suitable  medicines. 
This  family  of  Mujellies,  who  have  been  so 
cruel  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lethaby,  now  swear  eter- 
nal friendship,  and  I  really  think  they  would 
not  hurt  a  hair  of  our  heads.  I  am  glad  that  I 
have  been  used  of  God  for  their  good ;  con- 
tinue to  pray  for  them  especially,  that  they 
may  accept  the  Saviour.  They  sorrowed  with 
us,  and  we  are  permitted  to  be  with  them  in 
their  time  of  trouble.  It  is  to  these  I  am  going 
in  an  hour  or  two. 


ENEMIES   BECOME   FRIENDS  49 

We  had  made  up  our  minds  to  have  a  quiet 
Sunday.  The  boys  had  come  and  gone,  and  I 
was  having  a  tune  on  the  baby  organ,  previous 
to  a  short  service,  when  two  heads  appeared 
over  the  gate.  On  inquiry,  a  request  was  made 
for  me  to  go  out  and  see  a  man  badly  wounded, 
lying  in  some  tents  about  one  and  a  half  hours' 
ride  away ;  he  had  been  wounded  in  a  recent 
fight,  and  had  been  brought  on  a  camel  as  far 
as  he  could  come. 

Feeling  it  to  be  a  call  of  duty,  I  had  to  put  de- 
sires aside,  and  although  very  tired  from  the  two 
previous  days'  work,  I  soon  packed  my  saddle- 
bags and  set  off.  I  found  the  man  in  a  dread- 
ful state,  the  worst  case  I  have  had  as  yet.  His 
arm  was  deeply  cut  above  the  elbow ;  I  had  to 
put  five  stitches  in  it,  in  his  chin  two,  chest  one, 
back  two.  With  lint  and  plaster  and  bandages, 
after  two  hours'  work,  I  got  him  in  a  comfort- 
able state.  After  eating  some  eggs  and  bread,  I 
started  back  again,  reaching  our  house  just 
after  3  P.M.,  quite  tired  out.  I  shall  have  to 
go  out  several  times  to  this  man  before  I  can 
leave  him  to  the  care  of  his  own  people.  If  I 
could  read  and  explain  the  Bible  to  the  people, 
I  have  plenty  of  opportunities  to  do  so,  but  I 
am  at  present  only  the  advertising  agent  of  the 
Kerak  mission.  In  my  spare  time  I  read  a 


50  ENEMIES   BECOME   FRIENDS 

little  Arabic,  and  when  possible  read  with  the 
boys  in  the  school ;  I  get  on  very  well  with  the 
talking,  but  don't  seem  to  make  much  progress 
with  the  written  language." 

Hardly  a  week  passed  but  I  was  called  to  go 
to  some  village  or  encampment  to  attend  some 
sick  or  wounded  man.  Thanks  to  the  simple 
and  open-air  lives  the  people  live,  my  patients 
generally  recovered,  and  the  Arabs  were  sharp 
enough  to  recognize  that  my  presence  among 
them  was  a  benefit  rather  than  a  misfortune. 

These  frequent  visits  to  and  sojourns  in  the 
tents  of  the  Arabs  gave  me  splendid  opportuni- 
ties to  observe  and  study  the  everyday  life  and 
customs  of  the  people.  Gradually  I  got  accus- 
tomed to  the  rough-and-ready  life,  and  could 
eat  almost  anything  they  set  before  me  pro- 
vided I  did  not  see  it  prepared. 

I  passed  many  sleepless  nights  in  these 
houses  of  hair,  kept  awake  often  by  the  furious 
barking  of  the  dogs,  who  were  keeping  off  some 
wild  beast  intent  on  attacking  the  flocks.  The 
wailing  of  the  women  over  one  of  their  men 
lately  killed  deprived  me  of  many  a  night's  rest, 
as  did  also  the  drawn-out  groans  of  a  one- 
stringed  fiddle  played  by  the  man  whose  duty 
it  was  to  watch  and  await  any  alarm  of  attack 
on  the  camp  or  flocks. 


ENEMIES    BECOME   FRIENDS  51 

Under  such  circumstances  as  these  I  made 
friends,  some  of  whom  have  faithfully  served 
me  during  trying  and  dangerous  journeys,  even 
risking  their  lives  so  that  mine  might  be  pre- 
served. But  this  for  another  chapter. 


CHAPTER   VII 

TRYING   TIMES    IN    TRYING    PLACES 

AFTER  my  arrival  in  Moab,  and  gradual 
acquaintance  with  the  Arabs  both  in 
town  as  well  as  in  camp,  the  mission  had  pros- 
pered sufficiently  to  encourage  us  to  attempt 
new  things  in  the  way  of  buildings.  Medical 
and  school  work  could  not  be  carried  on  satis- 
factorily in  the  porches  of  our  houses,  and  if  the 
work  was  to  be  efficiently  carried  on,  something 
must  be  done  to  procure  more  suitable  accom- 
modation. A  short  visit  to  England  for  consul- 
tation with  our  committee  resulted  in  sufficient 
funds  being  raised  to  lease  land  and  erect 
houses,  in  a  much  better  style  than  the  ordi- 
nary "  dugout "  of  the  Arab. 

Our  new  buildings  were  above  ground. 
Windows,  cupboards  in  the  walls,  good  doors, 
and  other  conveniences  savoring  of  civilization 
were  innovations  that  interested  the  Arabs. 
The  woodwork  and  much  of  the  plastering 
had  to  .  be  done  by  myself,  and  we  were  in- 

52 


/ 


ff&fij        s ''•  ^v. 


TRYING  TIMES   IN  TRYING  PLACES  53 

deed  thankful  when  we  moved  into  our  new 
quarters. 

On  my  return  to  Moab  the  journey  from 
Jerusalem  was  again  one  of  exciting  interest 
My  sister  returned  with  me  and  had  her  first 
and  only  taste  of  life  in  houses  of  hair.  Her 
own  words  shall  tell  the  story  as  written  at  the 
time. 

"  We  left  Jerusalem  about  7  A.M.  with  three 
camels,  three  or  four  donkeys,  and  two  men, 
and  kept  on  until  eleven,  when  we  reached  a 
khan  and  remained  there  for  about  half  an  hour. 
Then  we  went  on  through  mountains  until 
nearly  3  P.M.,  when  we  reached  Jericho.  The 
hotel  was  shut  up,  as  the  season  was  over,  so 
we  had  to  sit  outside  in  a  kind  of  farm-yard 
with  men,  women,  and  children  all  around,  and 
animals  as  well.  After  a  rest  we  made  a  start 
for  the  Jordan ;  this  time  we  had  a  plain  to 
cross.  It  was  very  hot,  as  we  were  on  a  level 
with  the  Dead  Sea.  At  6  P.M.  we  were  on  the 
banks  of  the  river;  it  was  so  different  to  what 
I  expected.  Instead  of  green  hills  and  fields 
it  is  all  sand,  quite  like  the  seashore,  and  on 
both  sides  very  many  people  and  animals  were 
waiting  to  cross.  There  is  only  one  barge,  and 
this  has  to  be  pulled  to  and  fro  by  means  of 
ropes.  We  managed  to  get  over  about  seven 


54  TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES 

in  the  evening,  our  boxes,  camels,  and  men  in 
one  load.  I  felt  very  tired  after  so  much  rid- 
ing, and  after  making  some  tea  we  tried  to 
sleep,  but  it  was  impossible,  owing  to  the  noise 
of  the  animals  and  men.  Among  the  crowd 
were  hundreds  of  goats,  and  from  these  one  of 
our  men  obtained  a  supply  of  milk,  which  we 
thoroughly  enjoyed. 

It  was  full  moon,  so  we  could  see  quite  well, 
and  it  looked  so  strange  to  see  such  a  lot  of 
men  and  animals  lying  in  the  open  air,  and 
the  big  blazing  fires  to  keep  off  wild  animals. 
About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  men 
told  us  they  wanted  to  go  on,  and  we  were  not 
sorry,  because  then  we  should  finish  the  Jordan 
plain  before  the  heat  of  the  day.  By  six  o'clock 
we  were  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains  beyond, 
and  by  the  waters  of  Heshbon  I  got  my  sponge 
and  soap  and  knelt  on  a  stone  and  washed  in 
the  river,  which  was  very  refreshing.  Here 
we  had  a  meal,  and  by  eight  o'clock  were  on 
our  journey  again.  We  went  on  up,  up,  up, 
until  I  thought  we  should  never  have  finished. 
Men  at  the  Jordan  told  us  not  to  go  to  Medeba 
as  it  was  not  safe,  so  we  kept  on  till  about 
eleven  o'clock,  when  we  came  to  some  Bedouin 
tents  and  there  put  up,  for  we  were  tired  of 
riding.  We  went  into  their  tents  and  lay 


TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES  55 

down,  but  I  could  not  bear  it,  the  men  and 
women  made  such  a  noise  with  their  talk,  and 
it  was  so  fearfully  hot ;  and  worse  than  that,  the 
women  and  children  came  crowding  round  us, 
and  they  were  so  fearfully  dirty.  You  cannot 
imagine  people  living  in  such  a  state.  After  a 
while  we  found  a  little  shed  place  at  the  end  of 
the  tents,  which  was  much  better  than  being 
in  the  midst  of  the  people. 

We  stayed  here  all  the  next  day.  At  sun- 
set the  women  began  to  make  bread  and  pre- 
pare supper;  then  the  flocks  and  goats  came 
wandering  over  the  hills,  and  they  all  had  to 
be  milked ;  some  did  one  thing  and  some 
another.  They  gave  us  plenty  of  milk,  which 
was  delicious.  When  the  men  came  home, 
fires  were  made,  and  sitting  around  the  same 
pot  we  ate  our  evening  meal.  Again  the 
animals  kept  us  from  sleeping,  and  at  two 
o'clock  the  men  said  they  were  ready  to  go,  so 
up  we  had  to  get,  and  off  once  more,  this  time 
for  Mien  instead  of  Medeba,  which  we  reached 
about  eight  in  the  morning. 

We  went  to  the  native  schoolmaster's  house, 
such  as  it  was,  and  as  soon  as  we  got  inside, 
men,  women,  and  children  came  flocking  in 
to  look  at  us ;  there  they  sat  on  the  floor, 
which  was  of  earth,  and  smoked.  Then  our 


56  TRYING  TIMES   IN  TRYING   PLACES 

host  brought  us  bread,  and  we  had  a  tin  of  jam 
with  us,  so  we  had  our  breakfast,  and  by  this 
time  I  had  taken  a  survey  of  the  house. 

It  was  a  fair-sized  vault,  underground,  and 
frequently  we  had  showers  of  dust  from  the 
roof.  The  room  was  very  dark  as  the  door  was 
small  and  low  down.  The  only  furniture  was 
two  large  heaps  of  stone  covered  with  mud 
plaster,  one  on  either  side;  these  were  their 
beds  —  of  course  no  blankets,  sheets,  or  pil- 
lows. The  family  —  father,  mother,  and  two 
boys,  one  about  twelve  years  old  and  the  other 
about  two  —  slept  on  one,  and  my  brother  on 
the  other.  Arch  made  me  a  little  room  for 
myself  in  one  corner  by  standing  our  boxes 
one  on  the  other ;  some  boxes  made  a  bed,  so 
I  was  better  off  than  the  others. 

A  coffee-pot  was  about  the  only  civilized 
thing  they  possessed,  besides  two  or  three  tin 
pans,  which  were  used  for  everything  — for  us 
to  wash  in  and  to  eat  from.  They  simply 
poured  a  little  water  over  their  hands  and  let 
it  go  on  the  ground  when  they  washed.  They 
gave  us  plenty  of  their  native  bread  and  some 
honey;  it  all  came  in  these  tin  pans,  and  we 
had  to  sit  one  on  each  side  of  our  boxes,  the 
pan  in  the  middle  on  the  box,  and  dip  our 
broad  in,  and  this  had  to  continue  for  a  week, 


TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES  57 

because  we  could  get  no  men  to  take  us  on  to 
Kerak. 

You  can  imagine  the  days  seemed  very 
long,  as  we  had  nothing  whatever  to  do.  We 
could  not  go  outside  all  day  because  of  the 
heat.  At  last  we  got  a  man  to  promise  to 
take  us  on,  but  my  brother  had  to  pay  him 
good  money  before  he  would  face  the  dangers 
of  the  road ;  then  when  we  thought  to  start, 
and  had  all  our  things  ready  for  loading,  the 
man  sat  in  his  house  doing  nothing,  and  said 
it  was  not  convenient  then  —  he  would  go  in 
the  morning.  Of  course  we  could  only  wait, 
and  finally  got  away  about  eight  o'clock  next 
day. 

We  started  for  the  Hameideh  tents  to  get 
a  guide  to  take  us  on ;  these  we  reached  about 
5  P.M.,  very  tired,  but  could  not  get  free  of  the 
women  and  children  for  some  time.  Directly 
you  are  in  the  tents  they  swarm  round  you, 
and  some  would  feel  my  dress  and  boots,  and 
some  my  face,  I  suppose  to  see  if  I  was  flesh 
and  blood  like  themselves.  We  had  some 
milk  when  the  goats  came  home,  and  one  was 
killed  in  honor  of  our  visit,  but  I  could  not 
touch  it.  I  had  tried  it  once  before,  and 
that  was  enough.  Again  the  goats,  horses, 
donkeys,  camels,  cows,  sheep,  dogs,  etc.,  pre- 


58  TRYING  TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES 

vented  our  getting  much  sleep,  and  just  as  we 
did  get  off,  which  was  about  three  o'clock,  the 
men  wanted  to  go  on,  so  we  got  up  and  once 
more  made  a  start.  The  ravine  of  Mojib  was 
before  us,  so  we  had  to  'make  our  hearts 
strong  '  —  a  native  expression. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  what  this  place 
is  like  so  that  you  could  fully  understand.  It 
is  like  climbing  enormous  rocks;  there  is  stone 
enough  to  build  cities.  I  thought  we  had 
come  to  the  top  two  hours  before  we  did ;  we 
stopped  about  two  hours  by  a  little  mountain 
stream,  and  sat  under  oleander  trees,  which 
were  so  lovely  after  the  hot  sun  and  glaring 
rocks.  I  walked  down  a  good  way;  it  was 
more  than  I  could  do  to  ride  a  horse  down 
such  a  fearful  place. 

Going  along  one  very  narrow  mountain  path, 
one  donkey  slipped,  or  rather  the  earth  gave 
way  under  it,  and  the  poor  animal,  loaded  with 
my  tin  box,  another  box,  and  my  fiddle,  went 
sliding  down  about  twenty  or  thirty  feet.  I 
stood  and  trembled  for  my  fiddle,  but  it  was  an 
earth  hill,  about  the  only  one  passed,  and  only 
a  little  damage  was  done.  We  reached  the 
top  about  seven,  where  we  came  upon  an  en- 
campment of  tents  made  of  goat's  hair  and  had 
to  be  stared  at  again,  and  then,  after  a  good 


TRYING  TIMES   IN  TRYING   PLACES  59 

drink  of  milk  and  a  rest  for  four  hours,  we 
made  our  last  start  for  Kerak,  and  this  time 
had  level  ground  to  go  on. 

It  was  just  eleven  when  we  set  out.  It 
was  not  nice  riding  in  the  dark,  but  we  had 
rest  and  comfort  in  view,  so  did  not  mind ;  we 
came  to  the  Mujelli  tents  about  three  in  the 
morning  and  passed  them  safely,  and  had  a 
first  view  of  Kerak  about  six ;  it  looked  so 
nice  from  the  hill,  but  we  had  to  go  down  and 
up  before  reaching  it.  We  went  down  very 
well  and  were  about  halfway  up  when  we  met 
a  young  fellow  who  took  a  fancy  to  my  brother's 
morea  —  the  rope  round  his  head  — .  It  was  a 
new  one  he  had  bought  in  Jerusalem.  The 
man  wanted  him  to  take  his  old  one,  and  give 
him  the  new  one ;  my  brother  remonstrated, 
but  the  man  was  determined  and  pulled  out 
his  dagger.  I  was  terribly  frightened,  and  to 
quiet  me  the  robber  was  allowed  to  have  his 
own  way. 

One  of  our  men  had  gone  on  to  tell  that 
we  were  near,  so  before  long  the  school  children 
were  scrambling  over  the  rocks  to  meet  us ; 
Miss  Arnold  met  us  just  outside  her  house. 
The  people  soon  brought  us  presents ;  we 
had  thirty-three  eggs,  two  live  fowls,  a  big  bowl 
of  butter,  which  is  like  lard,  two  bowls  of  honey 


60  TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING  PLACES 

in  the  comb,  fish  from  the  river,  and  several 
other  things,  while  the  landlord  killed  a  goat 
for  us,  as  a  thank  offering  for  our  safe  arrival." 

After  a  stay  of  a  few  months  in  Moab,  I  ac- 
companied my  sister  back  to  Jerusalem.  Inter- 
tribal fighting  closed  the  way  by  Medeba  and 
Jericho,  so  we  had  to  take  the  route  round 
the  south  end  of  the  Dead  Sea  and  through 
Hebron.  The  journey  this  latter  way  is  to  be 
dreaded  for  two  reasons,  the  scarcity  of  water, 
and  the  liability  to  attack  by  robbers,  the 
mountain  region  and  the  desolation  being  very 
well  adapted  for  the  haunts  of  highway  robbers. 

We  travelled  with  a  company  of  traders, 
mostly  Hebron  men,  returning  from  the  villages 
and  plains  of  Moab,  where  they  had  been  among 
the  Arabs  bartering  the  necessities  of  life  for 
native  produce,  such  as  sheep,  goats,  tobacco, 
olive  oil,  butter,  and  other  things  that  would 
find  a  ready  sale  at  good  prices  in  the  markets 
of  Hebron  and  Jerusalem. 

This  trip  we  rode  on  donkeys.  All  went 
well  for  the  first  three  or  four  days,  when  more 
exciting  experiences  occurred,  resulting  in  the 
loss  of  our  goods  and  a  narrow  escape  with 
our  lives.  One  morning  early,  we  left  our 
camp  near  the  western  shores  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
and  commenced  the  weary  and  steep  climb 


TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES  6l 

into  the  mountains.  About  eight  o'clock  we 
halted  for  breakfast,  unloaded  the  animals,  and 
prepared  to  rest  under  the  rocks  during  the 
heat  of  the  day. 

We  were  eating  our  simple  meal  when 
twelve  men  appeared  on  the  brow  of  a  hill  near 
by.  The  word  "  robbers "  was  passed  round, 
and  fear  seized  every  one  in  the  company. 
They  came  down  the  hillside,  guns  in  hand, 
and  when  they  got  within  easy  distance  of  us, 
they  fired  a  volley  at  us,  wounding  two  of  our 
company.  This  was  followed  by  a  volley  of 
stones,  which  scattered  our  men  in  all  direc- 
tions. Before  we  had  time  to  realize  what  was 
happening,  a  man  covered  my  sister  with  his 
large  cloak,  and  lifting  her  up  bodily  made  off 
with  her.  He  carried  her  some  distance,  then 
put  her  in  a  cave  in  the  rocks,  where  he  knew 
she  would  be  out  of  harm's  way.  I  picked  up 
my  saddle-bags  and  followed,  but  was  pursued 
by  one  of  the  robbers,  who  shouted  as  he  ran  — 
"  Drop  them,  or  I'll  shoot  you."  I  dropped  the 
bags,  which  he  secured,  leaving  me  to  follow  my 
sister  and  find  her  hidden  in  the  cave.  She 
had  not  realized  what  had  happened,  but  sup- 
posed that  the  men  were  hunting  wild  beasts. 

After  a  time,  wanting  to  know  what  was 
going  on,  I  crept  out,  and  saw  our  men  and 


62  TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES 

the  robbers  quarrelling  and  righting  over  the 
spoil  and  animals.  One  of  the  robbers  caught 
sight  of  me,  came  over,  and  grabbed  my  cloak, 
head-gear,  and  shoes,  leaving  me  in  my  cotton 
shirt,  which,  being  native-made,  reached  to  my 
heels.  Our  comforts  and  rugs  were  taken, 
and  some  of  my  sister's  clothes ;  the  latter  were 
returned,  because  it  would  be  a  shame,  even 
among  robbers,  to  take  away  the  things  of  a 
woman.  Money  was  demanded  from  me,  but 
having  none,  I  was  unable  to  meet  the  request. 
The  man  at  whose  mercy  I  was  saw  on  my 
finger  the  wedding-ring  of  my  late  wife,  so 
determined  to  have  it.  Finding  he  could  not 
easily  remove  it,  he  applied  his  dagger,  and  was 
about  to  cut  off  my  finger,  when  the  chief  of 
the  robber  band,  seeing  what  he  was  about  to 
do,  stopped  him,  saying,  "  Don't  spill  the  Chris- 
tian's blood ;  let  him  alone,"  so  I  was  spared 
the  loss  of  a  finger,  besides  much  suffering. 
The  animals  were  loaded  and  driven  away 
by  the  robbers,  who  made  off  over  the  hills, 
taking  with  them  our  meal  bags,  water-skins, 
animals,  and  coverings.  I  went  after  them  and 
begged  a  donkey  for  my  sister  to  ride  on,  also 
a  covering  for  her  use  at  night,  both  of  which 
they  gave  me.  I  then  appealed  to  them  for 
my  outer  garment,  which  had  been  taken.  It 


TRYING  TIMES   IN   TRYING  PLACES  63 

is  against  custom  to  keep  that  over  night  (see 
Ex.  xxii,  xxvi,  xxvii).  All  I  got  from  the 
robbers  was  an  old  sack,  into  which  I  slipped 
during  the  three  succeeding  nights  passed  in 
the  open  air  on  the  Judean  hills,  exposed  to 
the  dews  and  cold  so  frequent  in  those  parts. 

With  my  head-gear  and  shoes  gone,  and  my 
outer  garments  taken  from  me,  I  was  exposed  to 
the  burning  sun  by  day  and  the  cold  winds  of 
those  moonlight  nights,  but  under  such  adverse 
circumstances  I  experienced  the  fulfilment  of 
the  promise,  "  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by 
day,  nor  the  moon  by  night "  (Ps.  cxxi.  6). 

After  three  days  of  weary  travel,  we  reached 
the  vineyards  and  olive-groves  of  Hebron.  At 
daybreak  I  presented  myself  at  the  door  of  a 
missionary's  house,  but  my  outward  appearance 
kept  the  servant  from  allowing  me  to  enter. 
She  no  doubt  thought  me  a  beggar.  Persever- 
ance conquered,  and  after  continued  knocking 
and  calling,  those  inside  realized  that  some  one 
was  in  earnest.  They  recognized  my  voice 
and  at  last  admitted  me,  and  accorded  me  a 
hearty  welcome.  That  same  night  I  went  on 
to  Jerusalem  in  the  borrowed  clothes  of  my 
friend,  my  extremities  conspicuous  by  reason 
of  the  shortness  and  tight-fitting  garments  of 
one  so  much  shorter  than  myself. 


64  TRYING   TIMES   IN   TRYING   PLACES 

The  night  after  my  arrival  in  the  Holy  City 
I  was  seized  with  violent  pains  and  fever, 
caused  by  the  long  fatigue,  exposure,  and  absti- 
nence from  food  and  drink.  Good  Dr.  Merrill, 
the  American  Consul  and  friend  of  the  needy, 
showed  me  great  kindness  at  that  time,  and  by 
God's  goodness  I  was  soon  raised  up  and  back 
again,  ministering  to  those  resident  in  stone 
dwellings  and  in  houses  of  hair  also. 

Following  chapters  will  record  other  trying 
experiences  under  trying  circumstances ;  for  the 
present  these  must  suffice.  We  will  now  con- 
sider a  brighter  and  more  encouraging  side  of 
the  life  lived  and  spent  in  the  interest  of  the 
dwellers  in  the  land  of  Moab  and  regions 
beyond. 


* 


ARAB  WOMAN  WITH  MONEY  ON  HEAD 

This  woman  has  one  hundred  and  ntteen  coins  on  her  head.  They  are  part  of  her  wedding 
dowry,  and  are  much  prized.  Only  in  a  few  villages  are  such  headdresses  seen,  and  it  is 
considered  a  shame  for  a  woman  to  expose  herself  sufficiently  to  be  photographed.  Mr. 
Forder  has  frequently  visited  the  village  where  this  woman  resides. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

ENCOURAGEMENT  FROM  UNEXPECTED  QUARTERS 

I  HAVE  already  stated  that  the  work  to 
which  I  had  devoted  my  life  was  sufficiently 
encouraging  to  compel  us  to  consider  better 
accommodation  in  which  to  carry  it  on.  Many 
pleasing  incidents  had  come  to  our  notice 
that  must  be  recorded,  so  that  others  may 
be  induced  to  go  on  with  similar  undertakings, 
although  beset  by  hindrances  and  unfavorable 
surroundings. 

We  were  pleased  by  the  action  of  two  little 
boys,  brothers,  who  were  in  our  small  school, 
and  from  whom  we  did  not  look  for  such  things. 
I  had  been  absent  from  home  for  some  time 
attending  some  wounded  men  lying  in  an  en- 
campment some  distance  from  our  station. 
Nothing  had  been  heard  from  me,  until  one 
morning  a  man  leaned  over  the  gate  of  our 
school  yard  and  informed  the  boys  that  I  had 
been  murdered  and  that  my  body  was  lying  out 
on  the  sand,  no  one  caring  to  interfere  with  it. 
The  report  was  a  false  one,  for  nothing  had 

65 


66  UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT 

occurred  to  suggest  such  a  rumor.  The  lads 
were  much  concerned  about  my  safety  and 
troubled  over  the  news  they  had  heard.  When 
they  were  dismissed,  they  were  more  discon- 
certed by  hearing  their  relations  and  neighbors 
discussing  the  rumor  which  one  and  all  hoped 
was  untrue. 

Two  little  fellows,  on  reaching  their  home,  if 
such  a  word  is  permissible  to  describe  the 
place  where  they  lived,  were  met  by  their 
father,  who  was  ignorant,  fanatical,  hard-hearted, 
and  cruel.  He  detailed  to  the  boys  the  news 
of  the  morning,  finishing  up  by  telling  the  lads 
to  give  no  heed  to  the  teaching  of  the  mission- 
aries about  God  caring  for  them,  or  to  the  be- 
lief in  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God.  The  little 
fellows  did  not  attempt  to  argue  with  their 
father,  but  disappeared  into  an  underground 
vault.  Their  father  wondered  why  they  should 
go  there,  so  followed  them.  He  heard  them 
talking  something  after  this  fashion:  — 

"  We  come  in  here  to  pray  God  for  our  mis- 
sionary and  to  bring  him  safe  home,  and  if  we 
pray,  we  must  say  something.  What  shall  we 
say?"  They  settled  that  the  Lord's  prayer 
would  be  the  best  they  could  repeat,  and  said 
the  elder  lad,  only  about  eight  years  old,  "  If  we 
do  not  say  just  the  right  thing,  we  shall  have 


UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT  67 

said  something,  and  God  will  know  what  we 
mean."  Then  a  second  difficulty  came  to  their 
youthful  minds,  viz.  did  God  understand  their 
difficult  language,  or  would  the  English  lan- 
guage be  easier  understood  ?  After  a  few  mo- 
ments' deliberation  they  decided  to  say  their 
prayer  in  both  languages.  So,  kneeling  on  the 
damp,  dirty  floor  of  that  dimly  lighted  vault, 
together  they  repeated  the  prayer,  "  Our 
Father  who  art  in  heaven,"  first  in  English 
and  then  in  Arabic. 

This  over,  they  left  the  vault  and  were  again 
met  by  their  father,  who,  with  oaths  and  curses, 
reviled  them  for  daring  to  approach  Ullah, 
"  God."  Going  up  to  the  flat  roof  of  the  house, 
they  looked  out  over  the  city.  Down  the  steep 
mountain  side  away  in  the  distance  rode  a 
horseman.  The  lads  saw  him,  then  commenced 
to  run  toward  the  mission  house.  On  reaching 
the  gate,  they  shouted  between  their  gasps  for 
breath,  "  He's  coming,  we  saw  him,  God  heard, 
so  we  came  to  tell  you."  It  was  all  true. 
Whilst  the  little  boys  had  been  offering  their 
petition  in  the  vault,  I  had  crossed  the  ridge  of 
the  mountains  that  encircled  that  Arab  city. 
The  horseman  they  saw  was  their  missionary, 
and  when  I  rode  up  to  the  gate  of  our  house,  I 
was  not  received  in  Oriental  style  and  with 


68  UNEXPECTED  ENCOURAGEMENT 

voluminous  salutations,  but  with  such  words  as 
these :  "  We  knew  you  would  soon  come,  be- 
cause we  asked  God  to  bring  you ; "  the  joyous 
faces  of  the  little  fellows  showing  how  happy 
they  were. 

Would  the  reader  not  be  encouraged  by  some 
such  experience  as  the  following?  After  car- 
ing for  scores  of  people  stricken  with  that  dread 
disease,  smallpox,  I  at  last  was  stricken  with  it. 
For  a  long  time  I  lay  helpless  and  unconscious, 
and  to  add  to  the  fears  of  my  native  attendants, 
delirious.  No  comforts  or  suitable  treatment 
were  available,  and  I  was  at  the  mercy  of  such 
food  and  doctoring  as  the  Arab  mind  conceived. 
Slowly  I  returned  to  consciousness  and  health, 
and  was  pleased  and  encouraged  to  be  told  that 
all  through  that  long  sickness  four  of  those 
Arabs  had  undertaken  to  attend  me,  two  dur- 
ing the  day  and  two  at  night.  Faithfully  they 
did  their  self-imposed  duty,  refusing  to  accept 
anything  by  way  of  compensation.  Every  day 
numbers  of  men  and  women  came  to  my 
humble  abode  and  in  subdued  voices  inquired 
how  I  was,  and  when  for  a  time  they  feared  I 
was  dying,  they  begged  to  be  allowed  to  enter. 
My  attendants  refused  their  request,  only  to  be 
met  with  such  words  as  these,  "  He  was  our 
friend  when  we  were  in  trouble,  he  came  to  us 


UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT  69 

when  others  were  afraid,  let  us  come  in  and 
just  look  at  him  for  a  minute ;  we  will  not  speak 
or  make  any  noise,  we  only  want  to  see  our 
friend."  As  I  recovered  the  natives  came  to 
congratulate  me,  some  bringing  with  them  as 
a  thank  offering  a  few  cakes  of  bread,  some 
eggs,  milk,  or  fruit,  others  bringing  a  fowl 
or  some  firewood.  All  tried  to  show  their 
gratitude  for  the  help  I  had  given  them,  and 
although  much  of  what  they  brought  was  un- 
suited  to  one  in  my  condition  as  a  convalescent, 
still  it  encouraged  me  to  do  more  for  the  al- 
most helpless  and  neglected  descendants  of  the 
bondwoman. 

Soon  after  getting  the  good-will  and  confi- 
dence of  the  people,  I  thought  it  well  to  let 
them  know  the  main  reason  for  my  being 
among  them.  Every  morning  a  crowd  of  men, 
women,  and  children  gathered  about  my  door 
for  medical  and  surgical  help.  I  thought  such 
an  opportunity  to  preach  the  gospel  ought  not 
to  be  missed,  especially  as  most  of  the  people 
were  unable  to  read  for  themselves,  and  all  of 
them  quite  ignorant  of  the  things  contained  in 
the  Bible.  Some  came  only  once  and  would 
never  return,  and  unless  they  heard  the  Good 
News  when  present,  possibly  no  other  chance 
would  be  theirs. 


70  UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT 

One  morning  I  introduced  the  Bible,  telling 
the  people  that  it  was  God's  word  and  I  wanted 
them  to  hear  it  read.  Reverently  and  atten- 
tively they  listened  as  some  portion  of  the  Old 
or  New  Testament  was  read  and  explained  to 
them.  Some  would  ask  questions,  many  of 
them  intelligent  and  surprising.  Several  came 
time  after  time  only  to  listen.  Ofttimes  they 
were  not  satisfied  with  the  portion  chosen, 
and  because  of  its  shortness  and  interest  they 
would  request  more.  One  morning  I  purposely 
commenced  giving  the  medicines  without  any 
reading  or  even  explanation,  when  I  heard  re- 
marks such  as  these :  "  No  reading  to-day !  what 
does  it  mean?"  Then  one  man  said,  "  You  have 
not  read  to  us  this  morning."  I  replied,  "  Do 
you  want  the  reading  and  teaching  from  God's 
Word  ?  "  The  general  answer  was,  "  Of  course 
we  want  to  hear  it ;  no  one  but  you  reads  and 
tells  us  such  good  things,  so  you  must  not  leave 
off,  and  if  you  have  no  time,  we  will  forego 
the  medicine  and  listen  to  you  read  and  speak." 

On  Sundays  I  had  morning  gatherings  for 
men,  which  were  well  attended.  During  the 
ploughing  and  harvesting  seasons  not  so  many 
attended,  but  no  Sunday  morning  came  round 
without  some  one  coming  to  hear  the  Word 
spoken  and  read. 


UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT  71 

I  was  called  to  a  sick  man  on  one  occasion, 
and  after  treating  him  asked  him  if  I  should 
read  to  him  from  God's  Book.  He  assented, 
and  I  read  and  spoke  to  those  assembled  in  that 
simple  home.  After  I  was  through,  a  man  in 
the  company  said,  "  Sir,  I  heard  you  read  and 
tell  us  that  we  must  not  curse  or  take  God's 
name  in  vain  like  we  do,  and  I  have  not  for- 
gotten it;  every  day  I  try  not  to  do  so;  your 
book  tells  good  things ;  I  want  to  obey  it  and 
do  as  you  teach  us." 

Many  were  the  opportunities  for  sending 
copies  of  the  Bible  or  some  tracts  to  some 
part  of  the  country  we  could  not  reach.  We 
always  did  so,  believing  that  the  "  word  would 
not  return  void,  but  accomplish  the  thing 
whereunto  it  was  sent." 

One  day  a  man  presented  himself  at  my  door 
who  had  come  a  journey  of  two  days.  He  had 
been  shot  in  the  shoulder  and  wanted  treat- 
ment. For  want  of  a  better  place  we  allowed 
him  to  lodge  in  the  porch  of  our  room.  We 
noticed  how  attentively  he  listened  to  the  daily 
reading  and  exposition,  and  on  leaving  us  he 
asked  fora  book  so  that  he  might  read  for  him- 
self. We  gave  him  a  John's  gospel  in  Arabic, 
of  which  he  was  proud  to  be  the  possessor. 
Two  months  later  he  turned  up  again,  not  for 


72  UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT 

more  treatment  for  a  lacerated  or  shot  limb, 
but  with  a  request  for  a  Bible.  Said  he :  "I 
have  read  the  little  book  you  gave  me  to  the 
people  in  my  town ;  they  like  it  very  much ; 
now  I  have  come  to  ask  for  a  big  book,  so  that 
we  might  read  and  know  more."  Such  inci- 
dents encourage  me  to  believe  that  many  read- 
ers of  God's  Word  in  different  parts  of  the  great 
Mohammedan  world,  also  in  the  lands  where  I 
have  travelled  and  preached,  will  come  to  a 
knowledge  of  Him  who  "  willeth  not  that  any 
should  perish,  but  that  ALL  —  even  Arabs  — 
should  come  to  repentance." 

Was  it  no  encouragement  to  know  that  a 
party  of  Arab  boys,  taught  in  our  school  to 
pray,  were  daily  remembering  me  when  out 
among  the  Bedouin?  If  only  those  riper  in 
years  and  experience  were  as  faithful  in  back- 
ing up  the  worker  in  far-away  lands  by  their 
prayers,  how  encouraged  many  a  weary  one 
would  be,  instead  of  feeling  that  he  was  alone 
in  the  work !  Was  there  no  encouragement 
in  the  fact  that  whereas  an  Arab  would  not 
trust  his  best  friend  or  nearest  relation  with 
money  or  anything  he  valued,  yet  he  would 
come  voluntarily  and  desposit  any  quantity  with 
me  without  even  thinking  of  asking  for  a  receipt 
or  paper  of  any  kind  ? 


UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT  73 

Surely  it  was  matter  for  thankfulness,  and 
one  full  of  encouragement,  that  when  fighting 
took  place  between  the  Keraky  and  Turkish 
troops,  and  men  were  shot  down  before  my  eyes 
that  I  had  known  for  years,  their  wives  and 
children  came  to  us  for  shelter  and  deliverance, 
feeling  perfectly  secure  and  safe  under  our 
roof;  and  then,  when  they  had  to  leave  for 
their  work  in  the  open  fields  or  gardens,  to  have 
them  put  with  us  for  safe-keeping  their  few 
jewels  and  trinkets.  And  then  at  last  when  the 
news  spread  that  I  was  leaving,  they  came  and 
besought  that  we  would  not  leave  them  for 
good,  as  they  had  no  one  but  us  to  turn  to  for 
help  in  trouble,  threatening  that  they  would 
stop  us  setting  out,  which,  to  prevent,  we  did 
one  morning  at  dawn. 

Later  years  have  not  been  without  signs  of 
encouragement.  One  day  a  young  Arab  pre- 
sented himself  at  our  door  in  Jerusalem,  saying 
he  had  brought  his  father  to  us  for  treatment. 
He  had  come  more  than  a  hundred  miles,  prov- 
ing that  some  amount  of  faith  in  our  methods 
had  resulted  from  our  life  and  work  at  Moab. 
Was  it  no  cause  for  joy  to  us  when  the  old 
chief  of  Moab,  who  in  one  day  was  bereft  of 
two  of  his  sons,  chose  to  turn  aside  to  us  for 
comfort  and  cheer  rather  than  be  among  the 


74  UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT 

howling  crowd  of  his  own  relations  and  people  ? 
That  man  had  been  one  of  those  that  had 
caused  me  to  be  taken  prisoner  and  money 
paid  for  my  release  when  first  I  entered 
Moab. 

The  account  of  my  journey  into  Arabia, 
given  in  other  chapters,  cannot  be  read  with- 
out seeing  between  the  lines  much  that  encour- 
ages us  to  press  forward ;  the  readiness  of  the 
people  to  buy  the  Scriptures,  the  kindness 
shown  by  those  in  high  places,  and  last  but  not 
least  the  workings  of  a  watchful,  kind,  and 
gracious  Providence  always  bringing  to  mind 
the  remembrance  that  "  The  Lord  reigneth," 
and  that  His  Word  says,  "  I  will  be  exalted 
among  the  nations."  If  any  worker  in  either 
the  home  or  foreign  field  that  reads  these  pages 
is  discouraged,  let  him  take  to  himself  the 
promises  that  cannot  be  broken  and  go  forward, 
remembering  that  the  "  Well  done "  is  not 
promised  to  the  good  and  successful  worker, 
but  to  the  good  ^xA  faithful  servant,  who  is  to 
enter  into  the  joy  of  His  Lord. 

Walking  down  the  street  called  Straight,  in 
Damascus,  a  man  accosted  me  that  I  had  no 
memory  of.  He  was  surprised  I  did  not  recog- 
nize him.  "  You  attended  me  in  an  encamp- 
ment away  in  Moab  when  I  had  been  shot  in 


1OTOQRAPH    BY   A.  FORDER 


A  BEDOUIN  TENT 

This  is  the  dwelling  of  the  nomad,  and  named  by  him  "  the  house  of  hair."  These  tents 
are  very  strong  and  heavy,  and  last  for  many  years.  The  sides  are  fastened  to  the  top 
by  wooden  pins  about  six  inches  long.  So  closely  woven  are  they  that  water  rarely  pene- 
trates through  them. 


THE    FORDS   OF   ARNON,    MOAB       . 
This  stream  is  in  the  bed  of  a  very  deep  valley  that  terminates  on  the  shores  of  the  Dead 
bea.     It  divides  the  territory  of  the  Amorites  and  Moabites.      In  the  Pentateuch  this  place 
is  frequently  mentioned.     After  heavy  rain,  this  stream  is  impassable 


UNEXPECTED   ENCOURAGEMENT  75 

the  neck,  and  when  I  left  for  my  own  place  and 
people,  you  gave  me  one  of  your  gospels.  We 
have  all  read  it  and  like  it  very  much,"  was 
what  he  told  me.  Before  leaving  me  he  asked 
me  to  come  among  them  and  tell  them  of  our 
religion. 


CHAPTER   IX 

IN    COMPETITION    WITH    NATIVE    DOCTORS 

MISSION  work  of  every  kind  in  all  lands 
is  always  accompanied  by  times  of  dis- 
couragement. That  the  former  are  allowed  by 
God  it  cannot  be  doubted,  but  all  admit  that 
these  times  do  come,  and  are  ofttimes  blessings 
in  disguise,  although  not  always  discerned  at 
the  moment.  Without  such  times  coming  into 
our  lives,  there  might  be  danger  of  pride  or 
self-exaltation  over  any  little  success  that  was 
attending  our  work ;  and  so  these  discourage- 
ments occur,  maybe  sometimes  to  remind  us  that 
it  is  "  not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  My 
spirit,  saith  the  Lord,"  all  success  in  our  labors 
is  brought  about.  Again,  discouragement  may 
teach  us  many  lessons  and  enable  us  to  gain 
valuable  experience  which  otherwise  we  would 
not  have  gained,  and  thus  temporary  dis- 
couragement may  result  in  lasting  blessing,  not 
only  to  individuals,  but  also  to  communities. 
New  work  in  out-of-the-way  places  among  a 
strange  and  ignorant  people  always  finds  much 

76 


IN   COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS       77 

to  discourage.  The  idea  in  the  mind  of  the 
Arab  is  that  you  are  among  them  for  personal 
benefit  to  yourself  and  not  to  them.  The  mon- 
arch of  the  nation  you  represent  has  sent  you 
among  them,  and  is  paying  you  a  heavy  sum  to 
stay  among  a  hard  and  degraded  people,  or,  as 
was  often  told  me,  I  must  have  killed  some  one 
or  committed  a  great  crime  to  cause  me  to  leave 
my  own  land  and  settle  among  the  Arabs. 
Such  opinions  as  these  from  those  whom  you 
are  trying  to  benefit  are  neither  helpful  nor  en- 
couraging, rather  the  reverse,  and  ofttimes  one  is 
sorely  tempted  to  leave  the  people  to  their 
foolish  imaginations  and  go  elsewhere. 

Perhaps  some  of  the  greatest  discourage- 
ments I  had  was  in  connection  with  the  medi- 
cal work  at  Kerak.  Although  the  Arabs  there 
were  ready  enough  to  apply  to  us  in  time  of 
need,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  could  get 
them  to  exercise  patience  for  any  length  of 
time.  Medical  or  surgical  aid  from  us  was 
supposed  to  have  an  instantaneous  effect  on 
the  patient,  and  if  it  did  not,  very  little  persua- 
sion was  needed  to  put  away  the  unknown 
remedy  or  treatment,  and  apply  one  that  was 
suggested  by  the  women  near  by.  The  native 
doctor  was  our  greatest  hindrance,  no  doubt 
because  he  was  jealous  for  his  craft,  and  al- 


;8       IN   COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS 

though  the  natives  acknowledged  that  our  way 
was  best  and  our  medicines  more  effective,  yet 
they  preferred  ofttimes  to  pay  the  native  quack 
a  heavy  fee  for  some  visible  and  painful  applica- 
tion rather  than  have  our  untried,  slow-restoring 
remedies  free. 

They  could  not  understand  why,  for  a  bad 
headache,  they  should  have  medicine  given 
them  to  drink.  Why  not  do  like  the  native 
doctor,  apply  a  hot  iron  or  a  bleeding  glass  to 
the  spot  and  so  scare  away  the  pain  ?  What 
good  liquids  did  for  medicine  when  fever  was 
in  the  system  could  not  be  understood.  Fire, 
and  blood  taking,  with  a  few  dangerous  drugs, 
are  the  remedies  for  everything  among  the 
Arabs.  To  wash  a  wound  and  allow  it  air  or 
drainage  was  madness,  even  sin,  on  my  part; 
they  would  plaster  it  with  filth  and  exclude  air, 
and  thus,  instead  of  improving  matters,  make 
them  far  worse.  Rest  and  quiet  are  rarely  per- 
mitted to  a  patient ;  on  the  contrary,  the 
room,  or  tent,  of  the  sick  man  will  be  crowded 
with  men,  women,  and  children  making  plenty 
of  noise.  I  have  known  many  a  one  to  die  that 
might  have  lived  if  only  our  advice  had  been 
carried  out. 

One  case  in  particular  comes  to  my  mind 
even  as  I  write.  One  noon  I  was  having  my 


IN   COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS       79 

meal  when  a  man  ran  into  my  room  breath- 
less, exclaiming,  "  Come  —  run  —  quick  ;  a  man 
murdered ! "  I  jumped  up,  seized  my  emer- 
gency bag,  and  without  coat  or  vest  followed 
the  messenger.  Up  in  the  city,  lying  in  the  road 
in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  was  a  man  in  a  pool  of 
blood.  He  had  been  attacked  from  behind  by 
the  avenger  of  blood,  and  his  abdomen  ripped 
across,  causing  his  intestines  to  protrude.  I  set 
to  work  alone;  no  man  cared  to  interfere,  lest 
the  poor  fellow  should  die  and  they  get  the 
blame.  Carefully  I  stitched  up  the  gash,  replac- 
ing the  protruding  mass  as  I  proceeded ;  the 
fellow  behaved  well  and  kept  up  beautifully. 
Having  finished,  he  was  carried  on  a  carpet 
into  a  house  near  by  and  was  supposed  to  re- 
main there.  I  persuaded  the  men  to  go  away 
and  leave  him  to  get  sleep  and  quiet,  and  hav- 
ing given  him  a  sedative  I  promised  to  return 
in  an  hour.  I  did  so,  but  found  the  house 
fastened  up.  Inquiring  of  some  people  near, 
I  was  told  the  owners  of  the  house  had  gone 
out  to  their  tents,  and  the  wounded  man  had 
been  helped  to  walk  to  another  house.  Thither 
I  went,  to  find  the  place  crowded  and  the  poor 
fellow  exhausted,  yet  being  kept  awake  to  talk 
to  these  so-called  friends.  I  scolded  them  and 
sent  them  all  out,  and  decided  to  stay  myself. 


80      IN   COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS 

Soon  he  was  asleep  and  rested  quietly  for  two 
hours.  On  waking  I  left  him  in  charge  of  a 
woman  to  go  to  another  case,  promising  to  re- 
turn and  possibly  have  him  taken  to  my  room 
so  that  he  might  be  well  cared  for.  I  returned 
about  sunset,  and  to  my  astonishment  found 
my  man  was  not  in  the  house  I  left  him  in. 
The  woman  very  coolly  told  me,  "  We  feared 
he  would  die,  and  did  not  want  it  to  be  under 

our  roof.     You  will  find  him  in 's  house." 

Off  I  went  and  found  him  again,  but  he  was 
too  low  to  be  moved ;  they  told  me  he  could 
not  walk,  so  they  had  put  him  on  a  donkey. 
I  saw  the  poor  fellow  was  very  exhausted,  so 
stayed  with  him  until  he  died,  which  happened 
about  three  hours  later.  Truly  "  the  dark 
places  of  the  earth  are  full  of  the  habitations  of 
cruelty."  I  went  home  disheartened,  but  had 
learned  a  lesson  never  to  be  forgotten. 

On  another  occasion  I  was  called  to  a  young 
man  that  had  violent  fever.  The  native  doc- 
tor and  the  women  had  done  all  they  knew, 
but  to  no  effect.  I  went  and  listened  to  all 
they  had  to  tell  me ;  then  I  told  them  if  they 
would  leave  off  treating  him,  I  would  do  what  I 
could.  They  agreed,  and  for  some  days  all 
went  well,  but  the  patient  was  not  up  and 
about  as  they  expected  he  would  be.  One 


IN  COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS       8 1 

morning  I  went  as  usual,  but  got  a  cold  recep- 
tion. I  guessed  something  was  up ;  I  gave  the 
medicine  and  left  them.  A  little  later  on  I 
returned  and  gave  them  a  surprise  visit. 
Before  I  reached  the  door  I  heard  cries  of 
pain,  so  waited  a  minute,  then  crept  gently  to 
the  door  and  looked  in.  I  saw  my  patient 
being  held  up  by  three  or  four  men  whilst 
others  applied  hot  irons  to  his  spine,  causing 
him  to  yell  from  pain.  So  intent  were  the  men 
and  women  on  their  cruel  work  that  they  had 
not  noticed  me,  so  when  I  spoke,  they  were 
surprised,  though  not  ashamed  of  their  doings. 
The  excuse  they  made  was  "  he  had  a  pain  in 
his  back,  so  we  were  driving  it  away."  After 
that  I  left  them  a  few  days,  but  returned  again 
to  treat  both  back  and  fever.  The  young  man 
recovered  and  was  always  very  grateful. 

Another  time  a  young  baby  was  brought  to 
us  for  treatment,  "  because  it  cried";  something 
was  given  it,  more  to  please  the  mother  than 
anything  else  —  for  babies  will  cry  —  and  away 
they  went,  and  we  heard  no  more  of  them. 
Some  days  after  I  was  in  the  encampment  of 
our  sheikh  and  was  asked  to  look  at  a  baby 
that  was  ill.  It  was  brought  to  me  ;  on  un- 
covering the  mite  I  found  it  was  quite  raw  and 
of  a  dark  color.  I  asked  what  they  had  been 


82       IN  COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS 

doing  to  it  to  make  it  in  such  a  condition. 
The  answer  was,  "  Because  it  cried  we  rubbed  it 
with  the  medicine  you  gave  the  chief  to  paint 
his  knee  with,  but  it  did  not  profit."  Some 
time  before  I  had  given  the  old  chief  some 
liniment  iodine  for  a  swollen  knee,  and  they 
thought  what  was  good  for  that  was  good  for 
a  crying  baby.  Needless  to  say,  a  little  grave 
was  the  result  of  such  treatment.  On  me  it 
had  a  good  effect,  that  of  discouraging  the 
giving  of  medicine  or  drugs  into  the  hands  of 
those  ignorant  of  their  use. 

Our  patience  was  sorely  tried  by  another 
family  that  we  did  our  best  to  serve.  A  man 
was  cleaning  his  loaded  pistol  with  his  little 
seven-year-old  girl  near  to  him ;  suddenly  it 
went  off,  the  charge  entering  the  little  maid's 
thigh.  Our  help  was  asked  and  willingly  given, 
one  of  our  lady  helpers  going  twice  a  day  to 
dress  the  wound  and  do  what  was  necessary  for 
the  little  sufferer.  One  morning  she  went  as 
usual  and  applied  clean  dressings.  The  after- 
noon visit  revealed  a  different  state  of  affairs. 
The  fresh  dressings  had  all  been  removed,  and 
in  their  place  a  plaster  of  various  abominations 
had  been  put.  An  old  woman,  supposed  to  be 
very  clever,  had  advised  this,  and  so  it  had  been 
done,  and  a  fee  given  for  the  advice  and  plaster. 


IN  COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE   DOCTORS      83 

The  parents  were  talked  to  about  their  foolish 
doings,  but  to  little  effect.  Patiently  the  dirty 
plaster  was  removed,  the  wound  cleansed  and 
dressed  once  more.  All  went  well  for  a  few 
days,  when  again  the  good  done  was  all  upset. 
A  knuckle  bone  —  supposed  to  work  wonderful 
cures  —  had  been  worked  into  the  wound,  caus- 
ing the  little  girl  excruciating  pain  as  well  as 
opening  the  wound  again.  Here,  then,  was  un- 
done all  the  patient  care  and  attention  of  weeks 
past.  The  reason  given  was  "  that  the  native  doc- 
tor said  there  was  blood  and  matter  inside  that 
ought  to  come  out,"  and  they  had  listened  and 
acted  accordingly.  So  discouraged  were  we 
that  we  refused  to  take  the  case  up  again, 
unless  they  paid  for  the  dressings  and  trouble, 
which  they  did,  but  the  child  is  lame,  owing  no 
doubt  to  the  attack  on  the  wound  with  the 
knuckle  bone. 

One  more  instance  must  suffice ;  although 
discouraging  and  trying  to  the  human  being, 
yet  it  eventually  made  us  some  good  friends 
from  among  those  that  had  been  our  greatest 
tormentors  and  hinderers.  Our  chiefs  had  gone 
on  "ghuzzu,"  —  a  plundering  expedition, — 
and  in  a  skirmish  the  eldest  son  of  our  sheikh, 
and  heir  to  the  chieftainship,  was  badly 
wounded  in  the  head,  the  scalp  having  been 


84      IN   COMPETITION   WITH   NATIVE  DOCTORS 

cut  by  a  sword.  I  was  called  out  to  attend 
him  in  his  tent  in  an  encampment  about  three 
hours'  ride  from  Kerak.  I  found  an  ugly 
wound  stuffed  with  ground  coffee  and  flour 
that  had  been  mixed  and  forced  into  the  cut 
"  to  keep  out  the  cold."  It  had  set  like  cement, 
but  by  dint  of  patient  working  I  gradually 
removed  it,  much  to  the  objection  of  the  inter- 
ested onlookers.  Doing  what  I  could  during 
the  few  days  that  I  stopped,  I  was  able  at  last 
to  leave  him,  promising  on  the  third  day  to 
return  and  see  him.  They  promised  me  they 
would  not  interfere  in  any  way  with  my  dress- 
ings. 

The  third  morning  I  rode  out ;  it  was  snow- 
ing, but  I  wanted  to  keep  my  word.  I  reached 
the  tent,  tied  up  my  horse,  and  before  any  one 
was  aware  of  it  I  had  pushed  aside  the  tent 
cloth  and  entered.  What  did  I  see?  The 
native  doctor  at  the  head  of  my  patient  put- 
ting on  a  plaster  made  of  donkey's  manure 
and  cow's  urine !  I  stood  and  looked ;  no  one 
spoke.  I  went  over  to  the  patient,  calmly  took 
the  plaster  off  his  head,  and  put  it  on  the  fire, 
then  told  the  native  quack  to  get  outside  at 
once.  Without  a  word  he  obeyed.  Then  they 
told  me  my  medicine  had  not  cured  the  man,  so 
they  had  called  in  the  other  and  paid  him  five 


MR.  FORDER  WHEN  SITTING  WITH  THE  ARABS 

In  Arab  tents  or  houses  chairs  are  practically  unknown.  With  their  legs  folded  under 
them,  the  natives  rest  quite  comfortably,  whilst  the  large  cloak  covers  any  appearance 
of  awkwardness  by  sitting  in  such  a  position.  The  loose  flowing  garments  of  the  Orientals 
are  very  suitable  for  such  an  attitude  of  repose. 


IN   COMPETITION  WITH   NATIVE  DOCTORS      85 

mejedies,  about  four  and  a  half  dollars,  for  his 
supposed  cure.  I  pretended  to  make  for  my 
horse  to  leave  them,  but  they  begged  me  to  stay 
and  do  something;  all  the  lint,  bandages,  and 
ointment  I  had  left  had  been  burned  by  the 
quack's  orders,  so  I  could  do  little  but  again 
cleanse  the  cut  of  the  filth  of  the  past  two  days. 
Three  times  they  served  me  thus,  but  in  the 
long  run  I  won,  and  the  fellow  got  about 
again.  The  ride  through  the  snow-storm  im- 
pressed them,  made  because  I  would  not  break 
my  promise  to  be  with  them  on  the  third  morn- 
ing. The  recovery  of  the  young  chief  was  at- 
tributed to  my  careful  and  wise  treatment,  and 
many  of  that  family  became  favorably  disposed 
toward  us. 

The  foregoing  have  all  been  connected  with 
a  people  hardly  semi-civilized,  and  so  in  some 
ways  to  be  pitied  for  their  ignorance  and  treat- 
ment toward  those  who  wanted  to  help  and  be- 
friend them,  but  the  time  came  when  heavier 
burdens  in  the  way  of  discouragements  had  to 
be  borne,  from  those  who  are  supposed  to  be 
civilized  and  rank  with  the  nations  of  Europe. 


CHAPTER   X 

AT    THE    MERCY    OF    MURDERERS,    BRIGANDS,    AND 
RAGING    SEAS 

IT  is  not  given  to  every  missionary  to  un- 
dergo hardships,  dangers,  and  trials.  Some, 
during  long  years  of  patient  breaking-up  of  new 
ground,  or  seed  sowing,  have  to  endure  things 
that  the  reaper  has  no  experience  of.  The  dan- 
gers and  trials  endured  by  Mackay,  of  Uganda, 
or  John  Paton,  in  the  South  Sea  Islands,  were 
followed  by  remarkable  times  of  reaping  by  those 
that  came  after  them.  The  workers  at  Kerak  in 
Moab  are  not  called  upon  to  endure  the  hard- 
ships or  humiliations  of  those  who  started  that 
mission  in  face  of  danger,  fatigue,  and  privation. 
How  true  the  Scriptures  respecting  work  of  to- 
day and  many  of  the  workers,  "  One  soweth,  and 
another  reapeth.  I  sent  you  to  reap  that  whereon 
ye  bestowed  no  labor;  other  men  labored,  and 
ye  are  entered  into  their  labors."  Happy  those 
who  so  labor  "  that  both  he  that  soweth  and  he 
that  reapeth  may  rejoice  together."  Unfortu- 
nately, sometimes  the  reaper  forgets  the  long 

86 


AT   THE   MERCY   OF   MURDERERS  8/ 

years  of  weary  breaking-up  and  sowing  before 
he  went  in  to  gather  in  the  sheaves.  "  Render 
therefore  to  all  their  dues;  honor  to  whom 
honor  is  due,"  and  praise  to  whom  praise. 
The  life  of  the  pioneer,  whether  missionary  or 
otherwise,  must  of  necessity  be  one  full  of 
danger,  trial,  and  fatigue.  The  difference  be- 
tween the  two  classes  is  this,  that  the  explorer, 
scientist,  or  hunter  generally  goes  relying  on 
his  firearms,  or  foregained  knowledge  of  the 
people  or  land,  to  carry  him  through,  whilst  the 
missionary  should,  if  he  does  not,  rely  solely  on 
God  for  protection  and  guidance  under  all  cir- 
cumstances. A  man  in  the  possession  of  fire- 
arms will  be  sorely  tempted  to  put  his  trust  in 
them  when  danger  comes,  and  so  weaken  his 
faith  in  God,  and  to  spill  blood  among  the 
Arabs  would  mean  lifelong  enmity  and  per- 
petual absence  from  the  country  and  people 
where  such  a  thing  had  happened. 

This  chapter  is  not  written  to  create  sym- 
pathy or  pity,  but  that  the  reader  may  know 
that  there  is  a  God  that  can,  and  will,  deliver, 
and  also  that  a  missionary's  life  is  not  all  honey. 
The  first  marked  deliverance  I  had  after  I 
reached  Moab  strengthened  my  faith  in  the 
living  God.  As  I  was  attending  the  patients 
gathered  about  my  door  one  morning,  a  big 


88  AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS 

burly  fellow,  son  of  one  of  the  sheikhs,  came 
up,  and,  pushing  his  way  through  the  crowd, 
laid  claim  to  my  medicine  chest.  To  him  it 
was  useless,  but  he  thought  to  me  most  valu- 
able, because  without  it  I  could  not  doctor  the 
people,  and  so  my  allowances  from  the  Queen 
of  England  would  cease  and  I  would  suffer  loss. 
He  refused  to  give  up  the  chest  unless  I  gave 
him  money.  He  not  only  claimed  the  chest, 
but  entered  the  house  and  sat  himself  on  the 
ground,  saying,  "  Here  I  stay  until  I  get  the 
money."  He  sat  some  hours,  although  many 
attempts  were  made  to  persuade  him  to  go  away. 
But  he  was  immovable ;  I  noticed  that  the  key 
of  the  door  was  in  the  lock  on  the  outside,  so 
rising  and  going  toward  the  door  I  jumped  up 
the  four  steps,  pulled  the  door  to  behind  me, 
turned  the  lock,  and  had  my  unwelcome  visitor 
prisoner.  He  began  to  shout  and  kick  the 
door,  asking  that  it  be  opened,  but  I  went 
away  and  left  him  inside.  Up  into  the  city  I 
went,  and  came  upon  my  prisoner's  father,  and 
other  of  our  chiefs  and  their  sons,  sitting  in  a 
circle  in  the  sun.  I  went  into  the  midst  of  them 
and  told  them  what  had  happened,  and  how  I 
had  Abdullah  prisoner.  They  laughed,  but  were 
angry,  told  me  to  go  and  release  him,  and  they 
would  tell  him  not  to  trouble  me  again.  I 


AT  THE   MERCY  OF  MURDERERS  89 

requested  that  two  or  three  of  them  should  go 
with  me  and  bring  him  away,  so  jumping  up 
three  called  me  to  follow  them.  I  gave  one  of 
them  the  key,  and  told  him  to  unlock  the  door, 
which  he  did,  and  out  came  the  prisoner  with  a 
bound,  not  to  meet  me,  as  he  expected,  but  into 
the  arms  of  his  fellow-chiefs.  He  cursed  and 
raved,  and  swore  by  the  life  of  God  and  Mo- 
hammed that  next  time  he  met  me  out  he  would 
kill  me.  Thinking  it  likely  he  had  taken  some- 
thing from  my  room  whilst  locked  in,  I  asked 
that  he  be  searched.  They  felt  his  garments, 
but  found  nothing,  but  I  noticed  that  one  of 
his  arms  did  not  move  freely,  so  got  hold  of  it 
and  lifted  it  up  before  he  knew  what  I  was  up 
to.  From  under  his  cloak  fell  my  small  clock  ; 
he  had  secreted  it  in  his  armpit,  thinking  no 
one  would  notice  it.  At  last  he  was  taken 
away,  and  I  was  left  alone  with  his  threats  in 
my  ear.  I  saw  nothing  more  of  him  for  three 
weeks,  although  hearing  from  one  and  another 
of  his  purpose  to  harm  me. 

One  morning  I  was  riding  out  to  an  encamp- 
ment to  attend  a  wounded  man.  I  was  alone. 
Coming  toward  me  over  the  plain,  I  saw  in 
the  distance  a  horseman.  Soon  he  commenced 
to  canter,  then  came  on  at  full  gallop.  As  he 
came  nearer  I  saw  it  was  my  prisoner  of  three 


90  AT  THE  MERCY   OF   MURDERERS 

weeks  before.  He  was  armed  with  his  long 
spear,  and  as  he  rode  up  to  me,  pulled  from  his 
side  a  revolver  and  levelled  it  at  me,  laughing 
and  saying,  "  God  has  given  me  my  opportun- 
ity; now  I  will  kill  you  and  throw  your  body 
into  a  pit,  and  no  one  will  know  where  you  are 
or  what  has  come  of  you."  I  replied,  "  If  no 
one  else  knows,  God  will,  and  He  will  punish 
you."  At  once  he  dropped  the  arm  holding  the 
deadly  weapon  and  said,  "  I  never  met  a  man 
like  you:  had  you  been  one  of  our  own  peo- 
ple, you  would  even  now  be  dead.  Why  are 
you  not  afraid  ?  "  "  I  trust  God  to  protect  me 
from  evil,"  I  replied,  "and  that  is  why  you 
could  do  nothing."  "  No,"  he  said,  "  when  you 
said  *  God  will  know,'  all  the  power  went  from 
me."  He  then  asked  me  where  I  was  going, 
and  on  being  told  said  he  would  return  with 
me  and  see  that  no  harm  came  to  me.  So  he 
did,  and  next  morning  returned  with  me  to  my 
home,  and  from  that  time  we  were  fast  friends, 
I  ofttimes  appealing  to  him  for  help  in  time  of 
difficulty  or  need.  Some  months  later  I  had  a 
different  experience,  this  time  at  night.  I  had 
been  to  attend  the  chief  of  a  village  about  six 
hours'  ride  away.  I  found  he  had  been  badly 
shot  and  cut  about  by  some  of  the  young 
chiefs  of  Kerak,  because  of  a  quarrel  over 


AT  THE   MERCY  OF  MURDERERS  91 

some  sheep  some  time  before.  By  careful  at- 
tention to  the  wounded  man,  I  was  able,  after 
about  eight  days'  stay,  to  return  to  my  home  in 
Kerak.  There  were  two  ways  to  the  place  I 
had  gone  to,  one  very  lonely,  leading  through 
large  boulders  of  rock  that  had  fallen  down 
from  the  sides  of  the  valley.  I  had  been  taken 
this  route,  but  returned  alone  another  way. 

On  arriving  at  my  room  I  was  asked  by  my 
fellow-worker,  a  young  woman  who  lived  in  the 
next  house,  if  I  had  been  molested  on  the  way. 
I  replied,  "No;  why?"  I  was  told  that  the 
three  men  that  had  tried  to  kill  the  chief  I  had 
been  attending  were  hiding  between  the  rocks 
on  the  way,  with  the  intention  of  shooting  me 
on  my  return.  They  were  very  angry  because 
I  had  helped  restore  the  wounded  man  to 
health,  hence  their  action ;  but  as  I  had  taken 
the  other  road  home  I  had  escaped  them. 
That  night  I  had  gone  to  bed  and  was  asleep 
in  my  room  all  alone.  About  midnight  I  was 
roused  by  a  banging  at  the  door.  I  called  to 
know  what  was  wanted,  because  it  was  so  un- 
usual to  be  disturbed  in  this  way.  The  an- 
swer was,  "  Open  the  door  or  we  will  break  it 
in,  quick."  "  Who  are  you,  and  what  do  you 
want  ? "  I  asked  from  inside,  but  I  only  got 
the  same  reply  as  before.  I  got  up,  lit  the 


92  AT  THE   MERCY   OF  MURDERERS 

lamp,  put  on  some  clothes,  and  went  and 
opened  the  door.  Without  any  formalities,  in 
walked  three  men,  their  faces  covered  with 
handkerchiefs,  with  only  their  eyes  visible. 
They  shut  the  door  behind  them  and  said  to 
me,  "We  are  come  to  kill  you."  I  walked  up 
to  them,  one  at  a  time,  pulled  the  covering  off 
their  faces,  and  recognized  them,  saying,  "  You 
are  Bedr,  you  Mc-mood,  and  you  Salamey," 
three  of  the  cruellest  and  most  bloodthirsty  of 
'our  tribe.  They  were  rather  surprised  at  my 
action  and  that  I  knew  them.  I  asked  them 
to  sit  down,  stirred  up  the  ashes  on  the  hearth 
in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  and  soon  had  a  fire 
going.  Whilst  I  was  doing  this  and  making 
some  tea  I  had  an  eye  to  them.  They  had 
daggers  and  revolvers  with  them,  the  latter 
fully  charged,  as  they  soon  showed  me.  They 
made  me  sit  down  with  them  and  answer  ques- 
tions. "  Why  do  you  go  to  our  enemies  ? " 
"  Where  was  the  man  wounded  ?  "  "  How  did 
you  treat  him  ? "  "  Will  he  recover  ?  "  and  such 
like,  all  of  which  I  answered.  Then  they  went 
on  to  tell  me  why  they  had  tried  to  kill  the 
man,  how  they  had  waylaid  him  and  shot  him, 
and  how  angry  they  were  when  they  were  told 
I  had  gone  to  doctor  him.  They  said  they  had 
been  waiting  five  days  for  me  to  return,  and 


AT  THE   MERCY   OF  MURDERERS  93 

had  intended  shooting  me  from  behind  the 
rocks.  Hearing  I  had  returned,  they  came  to 
the  city,  and  without  any  one  knowing  had 
come  to  me  in  the  night  with  the  intention  of 
murdering  me.  "  In  the  morning  you  will  be 
found  dead  here ;  we  shall  be  away  from  the 
city  before  then,  and  no  one  will  know  who 
killed  you,"  they  said.  I  told  them  I  was  not 
afraid  of  being  killed,  but  if  no  one  was  near 
to  see  them,  God  would  know  all  about  it,  as 
He  knew  everything.  They  showed  me  their 
daggers  and  pistols,  and  I  told  them  to  be 
quick  or  to  go  and  leave  me.  They  were  slow 
to  act  and  talked  among  themselves  in  an  un- 
dertone. At  last  they  said,  "  If  you  will  give 
us  each  ten  mejedies,  —  about  ten  dollars,  —  we 
will  do  you  no  harm."  I  soon  told  them  I 
should  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  They  lowered 
the  amount,  and  finding  I  still  refused  they  be- 
gan to  threaten.  I  kept  firm,  and  again  they 
held  a  conference,  the  result  of  which  was  a 
demand  to  be  shown  the  pictures  —  the  magic 
lantern.  They  had  heard  about  it  and  must 
have  a  show  to  themselves.  I  told  them  of  the 
trouble  to  fix  up  the  sheet  and  lantern,  but 
they  insisted,  so  I  had  to  get  it  out,  fix  it  up, 
and  give  them  an  exhibition.  They  were 
highly  pleased  with  the  pictures,  all  Scripture 


94  AT  THE   MERCY  OF   MURDERERS 

subjects,  and  what  I  had  to  say  about  them, 
working  in  all  the  gospel  I  could.  Having 
seen  about  twenty,  they  asked  to  be  shown  "  the 
one  that  boils,"  meaning  the  chromotrope.  I 
put  it  in  and  set  it  turning,  in  and  out,  out  and 
in,  and  they  were  delighted.  One  of  them,  on 
turning  round  to  see  the  lantern,  noticed  that 
the  day  was  breaking  and  told  the  other  two 
of  it,  and  they  said  they  must  be  off  or  they 
would  be  seen  leaving  and  have  to  give  an 
account  of  themselves  and  their  being  out  so 
early.  They  asked  me  to  promise  them  I 
would  never  again  go  to  their  enemies,  but  I 
refused.  Then  they  asked  me  to  give  my 
word  that  I  would  not  tell  any  one  of  their 
doings  that  night,  and  to  please  them  I  prom- 
ised, and  away  they  went,  leaving  me  to  ponder 
over  the  night's  doings  and  the  wonderful  way 
I  had  been  protected  and  upheld. 

On  another  occasion  I  was  sitting  with  two 
of  our  lady  workers  in  the  living  room  after  our 
day's  work  was  over,  when  all  at  once,  without 
any  warning,  the  door  burst  open  and  in  came 
a  young  man  named  Fellah,  the  only  son  of  his 
father,  a  much-respected  chief.  This  young 
man  was  well  known .  for  his  daring  and  bold- 
ness, and  so  had  taken  the  liberty  to  enter  a 
house  in  which  were  two  single  women,  and 


BEDOUIN  WOMEN,   DAUGHTERS   OF   THE   DESERT 

These  three  women  faithfully  represent  millions  who  live  in  tents  in  the  solitude  of  the 
desert.  Their  large  garment  is  of  blue  cotton  and  made  in  one  piece.  Few  women  wear 
shoes  or  even  sandals,  and  most  of  them  smoke.  They  have  many  superstitions  about 
the  "  evil  eye,"  which  makes  it  very  difficult  to  secure  pictures  of  them.  It  was  quite  a  favor 
for  Mr.  Forder  to  be  allowed  to  photograph  these  women. 


AT  THE  MERCY   OF   MURDERERS  95 

that  at  night.  I  met  him  before  he  got  far  in 
and  ordered  him  to  leave,  but  he  only  laughed 
at  me  and  refused.  Finding  he  was  obstinate, 
I  took  him  by  the  back  of  the  neck,  and  before 
he  knew  it  I  had  him  not  only  outside  the 
house,  but  beyond  the  outer  gate.  To  be 
treated  thus  hurt  his  dignity,  and  he  com- 
menced to  shout  and  threaten  all  kinds  of 
things  that  he  would  do  to  me.  Hearing  the 
noise,  our  landlord's  son  came  over  from  their 
room  near  by,  and  tried  to  pacify  the  young 
man,  telling  him  how  different  our  customs 
were  from  theirs  and  such  like.  But  his  anger 
was  roused ;  he  hurried  to  a  house  near  by  and 
came  back  with  a  rifle.  Placing  a  loaded  car- 
tridge in  it,  and  one  in  the  hand  of  the  land- 
lord's son  as  a  confirmation  of  what  he  said, 
—  a  custom  among  them,  —  he  swore  that  he 
would  not  sleep  or  eat  until  he  had  killed  me. 
He  called  on  Abraham,  Mohammed,  and  others 
to  witness  the  oath  he  had  taken.  Meanwhile 
others  had  come,  attracted  by  the  shouting  and 
much  talking.  I  was  inside  with  the  ladies,  not 
knowing  then  all  that  was  going  on  outside. 
In  due  time  we  had  prayers,  and  I  went  out  to 
go  over  to  my  own  room  ;  the  young  fellow  had 
taken  up  his  position  on  my  roof,  but  had  not 
seen  me  cross  over  to  my  room.  I  went  to 


96  AT   THE   MERCY   OF   MURDERERS 

bed,  but  was  kept  in  mind  of  his  presence  on 
the  roof  by  the  constant  thump  from  the  butt 
end  of  his  gun.  He  kept  his  watch  all  night, 
and  then  day  came.  The  people,  as  they 
gathered  for  medicine,  were  much  concerned 
for  me  when  they  heard  the  story.  I  got  up, 
had  my  breakfast,  and  much  against  the  wishes 
of  the  natives  commenced  the  medical  work. 
The  young  man  on  the  roof  was  shouting 
out  threats  against  me,  accompanied  by  awful 
curses ;  I  bore  it  as  long  as  I  could  and  then 
went  out,  up  on  to  the  roof,  and  straight  up  to 
him.  "  If  you  want  me,  here  I  am ;  do  what  you 
wish,  or  else  be  off  away  from  here,"  I  said  to 
him.  He  was  cowed  and  said  nothing.  I  in- 
sisted on  him  getting  off  the  roof  and  leaving 
me  to  my  work ;  after  some  hesitation  he  went 
down  and  I  followed  him,  and  as  he  went 
away  he  said,  "  I  will  give  you  a  bullet  when  I 
meet  you  out  alone."  Some  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  city  appeased  him  for  the  time  by  a  little 
raw  coffee,  but  he  stuck  to  his  determination 
to  harm  me,  because  of  his  vow  and  the  car- 
tridge he  had  given  as  a  pledge,  and  which  he 
would  not  take  back,  although  urged  to  do  so. 
The  next  time  I  saw  that  young  man  was  under 
very  different  and  sad  circumstances  which  it 
may  be  of  interest  to  relate,  thus  proving  how 


AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS  97 

true  the  Arab's  proverb,  "  Mountain  may  never 
meet  mountain,  but  man  may  meet  man,"  teach- 
ing that  it  is  best  on  separating  to  be  friends 
and  not  foes. 

There  had  been  a  wedding  at  an  encamp- 
ment some  four  hours'  ride  north  of  Kerak,  and 
all  the  young  chiefs  of  the  tribe  had  been 
called  to  join  in  the  festivities.  As  is  customary, 
the  young  men  played  on  their  horses,  racing 
and  wrestling,  the  horses  seeming  to  enjoy  it  as 
much  as  the  riders.  A  sham  fight  was  in  pro- 
cess when  my  troublesome  friend  of  some 
weeks  before  galloped  his  horse  across  the 
course  of  a  bullet  shot  from  a  rifle,  the  missile 
entering  the  windpipe  on  one  side  and  coming 
out  on  the  other.  He  was  carried  to  a  tent,  and 
a  horseman  despatched  for  me,  the  name  of 
the  wounded  man  being  kept  secret.  On 
arriving  at  the  encampment,  I  was  taken  to 
the  tent,  to  find  it  was  Fellah  that  was  down 
and  needed  attention.  His  first  words,  spoken 
with  difficulty,  were,  "  How  could  you  come  to 
me  after  the  way  I  served  you  ?  "  My  answer 
was  in  their  own  style,  "  What's  past  is  past  and 
what's  dead  is  dead,"  equivalent  to  "  Let  by- 
gones be  bygones."  I  did  my  best  for  him,  stay- 
ing five  days  and  nights.  One  afternoon  he 
was  leaning  on  my  arm,  and  I  was  feeding  him 


98  AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS 

with  some  milk,  when  suddenly  he  fell  back 
dead  on  my  breast.  Great  was  the  consterna- 
tion among  the  crowd  of  sympathizers  in  that 
tent;  the  women  screeched  and  rent  their 
clothes,  the  immediate  relatives  falling  on  the 
body,  hugging  and  kissing  it,  whilst  the  men 
wrung  their  hands  in  agony  or  cut  off  their  hair 
as  a  sign  of  their  great  grief. 

At  once  the  cry  of  "  Revenge !  "  was  raised ; 
the  men  jumped  up,  seized  their  rifles,  and, 
mounting  their  horses,  were  soon  galloping  in 
the  direction  of  the  camp  in  which  the  young 
man  was  from  whose  rifle  that  bullet  had  come 
causing  the  death  of  the  chief's  son.  Accidents 
are  not  recognized  among  the  Arabs ;  life  had 
been  taken,  and  the  custom  requires  a  life  in 
return.  I  took  the  opportunity  to  ride  away 
on  the  only  horse  left,  and  was  first  to  tell  the 
sad  news  in  the  city.  Said  one  man  to  me 
that  evening,  "  Fellah  swore  to  give  you  a 
bullet,  but  got  one  himself ;  it  is  the  work  of 
God;  every  one  must  eat  his  fate." 

Next  morning  the  body  was  brought  in  to 
be  buried,  and  the  sight  was  one  I  shall  never 
forget. 

To  complete  this  incident  I  must  tell  that 
the  supposed  murderer  saw  the  armed  horse- 
men coming  toward  the  camp,  guessed  what 


AT  THE   MERCY   OF   MURDERERS  99 

had  happened,  and  claimed  the  protection  of 
the  chief  of  the  encampment,  and  so  saved 
his  life,  although  afterward  the  penalty  of  two 
years'  exile  and  the  loss  of  all  his  belongings 
was  put  upon  him,  the  dead  man's  relatives 
getting  all  the  property  that  had  been  forfeited 
as  the  price  of  their  lost  son. 

Another  narrow  escape  came  about  in  quite 
another  way,  and  under  very  different  cir- 
cumstances. I  had  been  into  Jerusalem,  and 
was  returning  to  Kerak,  but  had  to  take  the 
route  by  Hebron  and  the  south  end  of  the 
Dead  Sea,  one  generally  avoided  for  two  rea- 
sons, viz.  the  scarcity  of  water  and  the  fear  of 
robbers,  because  the  road  via  Jericho  and 
Medeba  was  possessed  by  a  tribe  of  Arabs 
unfriendly  to  any  from  Kerak.  I  had  with  me 
three  Arabs,  one  an  old  man  named  Salem,  who 
had  travelled  much  with  me  and  had  always 
proved  faithful,  and  to  whom  on  this  occasion 
I  owed  my  life,  not  excluding  of  course  an  all- 
seeing  Providence. 

We  were  going  along  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  Dead  Sea,  and  came  to  a  tiny  stream  of 
fresh  water,  where  we  determined  to  camp,  as 
the  sun  was  about  setting.  The  place  was 
very  stony,  and  not  such  a  one  as  we  generally 
choose,  preferring,  if  possible,  open  ground,  so 


100  AT  THE   MERCY   OF  MURDERERS 

that  any  one  or  anything  can  be  seen  approach- 
ing, but  as  there  was  no  water  ahead  of  us  we 
had  to  stay  there  or  go  thirsty.  We  had  our 
supper,  and  put  the  nose-bags  on  the  horses,  but 
noticed  that  they  did  not  eat.  Old  Salem  said 
to  me,  "  The  animals  are  restless  and  cannot 
eat  their  suppers."  Time  passed  and  still  our 
patient  steeds  remained  supperless,  but  not 
motionless.  With  their  ears  pricked  up  and 
their  heads  well  lifted,  they  were  keeping  a 
sharp  lookout  ahead  of  them,  first  in  one  di- 
rection and  then  in  another,  turning  this  way 
and  then  another.  Their  behavior  told  my 
experienced  old  Arab  that  somebody  besides 
ourselves  was  about,  and  the  horses  could  see 
them  moving  about,  although  it  was  dark. 
This  was  causing  their  restlessness  and  ab- 
stinence from  their  suppers.  We  all  made  up 
our  minds  to  sit  and  watch,  but  weary  with  a 
long  day's  ride  I  soon  fell  asleep  under  the 
cover  of  a  great  boulder.  It  was  about  mid- 
night, and  I  was  lying  half  awake  and  half 
asleep,  when  almost  together,  within  a  few  mo- 
ments of  each  other,  the  horses  whinnied,  and 
old  Salem  called  to  me,  "  Get  up,  quick."  Up 
I  jumped,  and  on  looking  out  I  saw  three  men 
running  away  as  hard  as  they  could  go.  They 
had  crept  up  to  us  under  cover  of  the  large 


AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS     IOI 

stones,  no  doubt  thinking  we  were  all  sleeping. 
But  the  horses  saw  the  nearest  one,  and  gave 
Salem  the  alarm.  He  saw  the  nearest  man 
standing  over  me  with  a  huge  stone  in  his 
hands  that  any  moment  might  have  been 
dropped  on  my  head  and  so  have  killed  me. 
As  I  jumped  up  quickly,  the  stone  missed  me, 
the  men  making  off  on  finding  that  they  were 
discovered. 

After  this  the  animals  settled  down  and  ate 
their  supper.  Old  Salem  would  not  sleep,  how- 
ever, for,  said  he,  "  Just  before  dawn,  when  it 
is  darkest,  and  the  robbers  think  we  are  weary 
with  watching,  they  may  return,  so  we  must 
be  prepared  for  them."  Sure  enough,  they  came 
again  at  the  expected  time,  but  a  good  fire 
gave  warning  that  we  were  about,  and  at  dawn 
we  loaded  up  and  went  on  our  way.  We  never 
knew  who  the  thieves  were,  or  where  they  came 
from  or  went  to.  We  were  thankful  for  the 
escape  from  them,  and  our  steeds  had  an  extra 
feed  for  the  share  they  took  in  warning  us  of  the 
presence  of  an  enemy.  That  same  morning 
we  met  a  band  of  wild  fellows  that  far  outnum- 
bered us  and  helped  themselves  to  such  things 
as  they  fancied  as  they  leisurely  turned  over 
our  belongings,  leaving  us  lighter  than  they 
found  us,  and  me  with  a  few  bruises  from 


102     AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS 

blows  of  heavy  clubs  because  I  objected  to 
their  behavior. 

The  foregoing  dangers  and  deliverances  all 
have  been  experienced  on  dry  land,  but  one 
yet  remains  to  be  told  that  took  place  on  the 
water  —  not  the  blue  ocean  of  either  the  At- 
lantic or  Mediterranean,  but  on  the  historical 
salt  sea,  or,  as  is  better  known,  Dead  Sea. 
Our  recollections,  however,  lead  us  to  let  go 
the  title  "  Dead,"  and  substitute  "  Living."  It 
came  about  in  the  year  1895,  if  memory  serves 
me  right.  I  had  come  in  from  Kerak  to  Je- 
rusalem to  take  back  my  wife  and  four-months- 
old  baby.  About  that  time  a  good-sized  sail- 
ing boat  was  going,  as  wind  permitted,  between 
the  nearest  point  to  Jericho  on  the  north  and 
Morab  on  the  east.  By  this  route  the  journey 
to  Kerak  could  be  shortened  by  three  days, 
and  was  less  fatiguing. 

We  found  out  the  time  fixed  for  the  boat  to 
set  sail,  viz.  sunset,  and  made  arrangements 
accordingly.  Our  heavy  luggage  was  sent  by 
mules,  and  some  Keraky  were  to  meet  the  boat 
on  the  eastern  side  and  take  us  up  to  the  city. 
Our  party  was  made  up  of  two  friends  going 
on  a  visit  with  us  to  Kerak,  my  wife,  baby,  and 
myself.  We  reached  the  seashore  in  good 
time,  saw  our  few  belongings  put  into  the  boat, 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  A.  FOROER 


THE  NORTH  SHORES  OF  THE  DEAD  SEA 

This  shows  the  only  boat  on  the  Dead  Sea.  It  was  just  back  from  a  rough  trip  on  the  lake 
when  the  picture  was  taken.  The  foam  on  the  beach  shows  with  what  force  the  sea  conies 
up  on  the  stony  beach. 


PHOTOGRAPH    BY 


ARABS   ENJOYING   A   SOCIAL   MEAL        »  »• 
Among  the  Arabs,  food  is  served  in  one  large  dish.     The  chief  :lr>vitos  his  guests,"  to  sit 


round  and  eat,  but  will  not  join  them;  he  counts  it  an  honor  ' 
spoons  and  forks,  fingers  have  to  serve  every  purpose. 


absence  of 


AT  THE  MERCY  OF  MURDERERS     103 

and  then  we  took  up  our  places.  The  boat 
was  loaded  with  iron  girders  and  timber  for 
the  Government  in  Kerak.  This  was  good 
because  of  the  buoyancy  of  the  water.  A 
good  breeze  blew  from  the  north,  and  we 
sailed  along  merrily.  All  went  well  for  five 
hours ;  the  moon  rose  and  we  knew  we  must 
be  nearing  our  goal.  The  wind  had  increased, 
and  we  were  going  at  a  good  speed.  Our  two 
boatmen,  like  real  Arabs,  were  both  asleep 
when  they  should  have  been  most  awake.  All 
of  a  sudden  we  stopped,  the  boat  veered  over 
on  one  side,  and  the  waves,  now  quite  high, 
came  dashing  over  us,  wetting  us  through  and 
through  before  we  could  recover  ourselves. 
Poor  baby  got  a  drenching  as  well  as  all  the 
others.  The  sudden  stop  roused  the  man  at 
the  rudder,  and  we  soon  found  we  had  run 
sideways  on  a  sand-bank.  So  fast  were  we 
going  along  that  the  boat  had  cut  deeply  into 
the  sand  and  was  immovable.  It  was  about 
11.15  and  moonlight.  The  men  tried  to  move 
the  boat  by  pushing  her  off,  then  we  got  down 
into  the  water,  which  was  chest  deep,  and 
pushed,  but  all  to  no  purpose.  We  threw  the 
iron  girders  into  the  sea,  then  the  timber,  but 
the  boat  stuck.  Baby  was  crying  for  milk,  so 
had  to  be  content  with  it  cold ;  no  spirit  stove 


104  AT  THE   MERCY   OF  MURDERERS 

would  remain  lit  a  minute  for  the  wind  and 
water.  Meanwhile  the  boat  was  getting  more 
and  more  on  one  side,  so  we  perched  up  on 
the  side  highest  from  the  water.  We  guessed 
we  were  near  the  land  because  reeds  were  near 
by.  I  got  down  into  the  water  and  set  out 
landwards,  but  soon  found  that  mud  was  abun- 
dant and  the  water  deeper  as  I  neared  the  reeds, 
so  I  returned  to  the  boat  to  await  the  day- 
break. We  shouted  ourselves  hoarse,  hoping 
to  attract  the  attention  of  any  Arabs  that  might 
be  near,  but  it  was  no  use.  Then  our  two  boat- 
men, after  many  attempts  and  appeals  to  Abra- 
ham and  Mohammed  for  help,  said  they  would 
swim  off  and  try  and  get  help.  So  away  they 
went,  leaving  us  alone  until  past  daybreak. 
Then  we  saw  them  away  on  the  shore,  and 
they  came  off  to  us,  followed  by  our  kind 
Arabs  that  had  been  waiting  for  us  according 
to  our  orders.  They  had  heard  the  shouting 
in  the  night,  but  thought  it  was  the  Arabs 
near  by  keeping  the  wild  pigs  off  the  grain 
and  gardens,  so  had  not  responded.  I  made 
one  trip  to  land,  walking  through  the  sea  and 
mud  for  about  three  hundred  yards,  then,  hav- 
ing an  idea  of  the  way,  returned  to  the  boat, 
took  the  baby,  and  carried  him  to  land,  held 
high  up  out  of  the  water.  He  enjoyed  the 


AT   THE   MERCY   OF   MURDERERS  105 

trip  more  than  I  did,  and  was  safely  deposited 
with  an  Arab  on  shore  whilst  I  returned  to 
the  wreck.  My  wife  and  our  lady  friend  had 
been  obliged  to  take  to  the  water,  their  skirts 
making  their  progress  difficult  and  slow,  but 
with  the  aid  of  our  willing  Arabs  at  last 
reached  the  land  and  took  shelter  in  the  tent 
that  was  pitched  a  short  distance  away.  One 
or  two  more  returns  to  the  boat  brought  our 
belongings  to  land,  all  spoilt  by  the  salt  water 
of  that  "lively  sea."  The  boat  remained  fast 
for  some  time,  but  at  last  was  set  free  by  the 
combined  strength  of  the  Arabs  of  the  district. 
Our  men  had  the  good  sense  to  have  ready  for 
us  a  large  pot  of  chicken  broth,  with  plenty  of 
rice  in  it,  and  a  good  kettle  of  tea,  of  which  we 
imbibed  a  good  quantity.  Clothes  were  washed 
in  a  stream  of  fresh  water  near  by.  Whilst  this 
was  in  process,  the  ladies  were  isolated  in  the 
tent  until  their  garments  had  dried  sufficiently 
to  be  donned.  I  stalked  around  in  a  pair  of 
my  friend's  trousers  whilst  my  own  were  drying. 
Fortunately  the  place  of  landing  was  in  the 
plains,  and  so  very  warm,  or  the  consequences 
to  our  health  might  have  been  serious  after 
the  night's  exposure  to  wind  and  waves.  We 
were  thankful  to  have  escaped  with  our  lives, 
although  we  lost  nearly  everything  else. 


CHAPTER   XI 

UNLOOKED-FOR    CHANGES,    AND    MORE 
PERSECUTIONS 

THE  first  three  years  of  my  life  among  the 
Arabs  passed  all  too  quickly.  Although 
there  had  been  discouragements,  opposition, 
and  bereavements,  these  had  been  counteracted 
by  advance,  the  breaking  down  of  prejudice,  and 
the  making  of  many  and  fast  friends.  Every- 
thing seemed  to  be  going  well  and  promised 
fair  for  the  future. 

During  one  of  my  brief  visits  to  Jerusalem 
I  met  my  second  wife.  She  had  been  in  the 
land  some  years  and  was  already  acquainted 
with  the  language.  Our  aims  were  one,  —  the 
salvation  of  the  people.  She  returned  with  me 
to  Moab,  where  she  lived  until  circumstances 
compelled  us  to  retire  to  Jerusalem.  Much  of 
what  is  recorded  in  these  pages  is  due  to  her 
readiness  to  remain  at  home,  and  her  willing- 
ness for  me  to  go  into  regions  unknown  so 
that  the  way  of  the  Lord  might  be  prepared 
in  the  desert.  Let  not  a  one-sided  thanks- 
giving or  admiration  be  any  result  of  the  read- 

106 


MRS.  FORDER,  THE  WIFE  OF  THE  AUTHOR 

Mrs.  Forder  is  a  Scotchwoman  who  has  lived  in  the  Orient  for  many  years.  She  speaks^ 
the  Arabic  language,  and  is  much  beloved  by  the  Arabs  where  she  is  known  to  them.  Ten 
years  ago  her  name  was  changed  by  the  Arabs  to  "  Umm  Jferius,"  i.  e.,  mother  of  George, 
in  honor  of  her  first  child  whose  name  was  George.  She  is  in  full  sympathy  with  the  work 
being  done  by  her  husband  among  the  Arabs. 


UNLOOKED-FOR   CHANGES  107 

ing  of  this  volume,  but  let  all  remember  that 
"  as  his  part  is  that  goeth  down  to  the  battle,  so 
shall  his  part  be  that  tarrieth  by  the  stuff." 
Staying  home  without  news  for  weeks  and 
months  is  more  difficult  to  endure  than  the 
actual  being  away,  the  anxiety  and  suspense 
sometimes  being  increased  by  rumors  of  rob- 
bery and  even  murder. 

Progress  had  been  made  with  new  buildings 
which  were  the  admiration  and  wonder  of  the 
Kerak  people ;  school,  medical,  and  evangelistic 
work  were  all  going  on  in  regular  order  and 
with  an  encouraging  measure  of  success.  One 
day  we  heard  rumors  of  the  coming  of  a  Turk- 
ish army  to  put  our  district  under  control,  es- 
tablish a  civil  capital,  and  place  a  garrison  in 
the  very  city  in  which  we  were  living.  We 
were  saddened  by  the  news,  because  we  knew 
that  the  incoming  of  the  Turk  would  mean 
opposition  and  hindrance  to  our  work,  also 
oppression,  heavy  taxation,  and  bloodshed  for 
the  natives.  We  were  not  long  in  seeing  and 
experiencing  all  these  come  about. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  rumor  several  thou- 
sand troops  camped  on  the  plains  opposite  our 
mountain  home.  Field  cannon  were  mounted 
on  the  highest  hills  overlooking  the  city,  and 
every  plan  arranged  to  take  the  place.  The 


108  UNLOOKED-FOR   CHANGES 

people  were  alarmed ;  women  and  children  fled 
to  the  encampments  or  the  mountains  on  the 
west  side  of  Kerak  toward  the  Dead  Sea.  The 
men  prepared  to  defend  their  city  and  homes 
and  meet  the  unwelcome  enemy  as  soon  as  they 
attempted  to  enter  the  place.  Warning  was 
sent  us  that  we  had  better  leave  at  once,  but 
we  preferred  to  stay  by  our  many  friends,  be- 
lieving that  they  would  need  our  services  before 
very  long.  We  were  not  mistaken,  for  as  soon 
as  the  enemy  had  gained  an  entrance  into  the 
city  they  were  turned  loose  on  the  helpless 
people,  and  many  of  them  were  shot  dead,  or 
wounded,  because  they  defended  their  homes 
and  women  from  the  intrusion  and  insults  of 
the  soldiery. 

For  a  week  we  were  besieged ;  every  day  the 
troops  tried  to  scale  the  steep  sides  of  that 
Moabitish  town.  They  were  repulsed  and 
turned  back  by  the  huge  stones  rolled  down 
from  above  by  the  natives  and  by  the  bullets 
of  those  possessing  rifles.  At  length,  through 
bribery  and  the  promise  of  large  money  and 
costly  presents,  the  chiefs  of  Moab  allowed  the 
wily  Turk  to  enter,  believing  him  when  he 
said,  "  We  will  only  stay  three  months."  With 
bullets  whizzing  over  our  heads  every  hour  of 
the  day,  cannons  facing  us  from  the  hilltops, 


UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES  IOQ 

and  an  excited,  fanatical  army  eager  to  take 
possession,  we  entered  into  the  experience  of 
the  Psalmist  under  like  circumstances.  "  The 
Lord  is  my  light  and  my  salvation;  whom  shall 
I  fear?  The  Lord  is  the  strength  of  my  life, 
of  whom  shall  I  be  afraid?  .  .  .  Though  an 
host  should  encamp  against  me,  my  heart  shall 
not  fear;  though  war  should  rise  against  me,  in 
this  will  I  be  confident." 

The  day  the  Turkish  army  entered  Kerak 
will  long  live  in  our  memory.  It  was  in  No- 
vember, 1893,  and  from  that  time  on  for  another 
three  years  obstruction,  opposition,  and  humilia- 
tion at  length  led  to  our  separation  from  our 
hardly  won  Arab  friends  and  the  land  which 
had  become  ours  by  adoption  and,  as  the  Arabs 
often  reminded  us,  by  reason  of  my  dead  having 
been  buried  in  it. 

The  man  who  had  been  appointed  civil  gov- 
ernor of  the  new  district  was  one  who  had 
been  a  leader  in  the  massacres  in  Armenia, 
and  because  of  his  successes  in  those  parts 
had  been  promoted  to  this  important  post. 
He  took  up  his  abode  in  the  Greek  priest's 
house,  and  turned  the  boys'  school  into  a  court- 
house. The  day  after  his  arrival  he  requested 
our  presence,  and  informed  me  that  from  that 
time  on  our  school  and  medical  work  must 


1 10  UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES 

cease.  Said  he,  "  You  have  the  favor  and 
hearts  of  all  these  people,  and  now  that  I  have 
come  for  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  you  must  leave. 
If  I  cannot  wean  the  people  away  from  you,  I 
will  separate  you  by  force  and  persecution." 

Soldiers  were  placed  around  our  premises  to 
keep  the  people  from  coming  to  us,  and  if  by 
any  means  some  did  reach  our  doors  and  were 
caught  going  away,  they  were  arrested,  put  into 
prison,  and  heavily  fined.  The  chiefs  protested 
to  the  governor,  but  to  no  purpose.  They 
argued  thus  with  him,  "  You  have  deprived  us 
of  the  help  our  friends  gave  us  when  sick  or 
wounded,  the  schools  in  which  our  children 
were  being  taught  you  have  closed,  our  best 
friend  you  forbid  us  to  visit,  and  you  give  us 
nothing  to  replace  what  the  English  were  giv- 
ing us." 

The  men  working  on  the  new  buildings 
under  my  supervision  were  again  and  again 
driven  off  the  work  by  the  soldiers,  who  made 
my  innocent  laborers'  backs  smart  with  the 
lashes  of  heavy  whips.  Time  after  time  I  faced 
that  governor,  demanding  from  him  the  return 
of  my  tools  and  the  liberty  for  men  to  work  for 
me.  Again  and  again  he  told  me,  "  If  you 
were  an  Arab,  or  one  of  our  own  subjects,  I 
would  have  had  you  killed  long  ago,  for  no  one 


UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES  in 

has  ever  spoken  to  or  treated  me  as  you 
have." 

On  every  occasion  he  had  to  yield  to  my 
demands,  but  not  until  after  many  stormy  inter- 
views which  needed  grace,  patience,  and  wisdom. 

I  well  remember  one  occasion  when  I  made 
this  despot  yield  to  my  demands.  I  received 
word  one  morning  that  my  best  man,  "  Old 
Faithful"  I  called  him,  had  been  put  into 
prison  without  any  apparent  cause.  His  old 
father  appealed  to  me  to  get  him  released,  assur- 
ing me  that  there  was  no  reason  why  his  son 
and  my  friend  should  be  imprisoned.  I  went 
at  once  to  the  governor  and  asked  why  the 
man  had  been  arrested  and  thrown  into  prison. 
He  told  me  because  the  man  had  said  he  would 
become  a  Christian,  also  because  he  would  per- 
sist in  coming  to  our  house  to  supply  us  with 
eggs  and  milk.  Both  these  statements  were 
false,  and  had  been  fixed  up  by  some  enemy 
of  my  "Old  Faithful."  I  told  the  governor 
the  charges  were  untrue,  that  I  had  not  seen 
the  man  for  quite  a  month,  and  that  I  wanted 
him  released  at  once.  The  hard-hearted,  wily 
Turk  laughed  a  contemptuous  laugh,  and 
said,  "  You  have  the  hearts  of  all  these  Arabs ; 
every  day  before  me  they  are  praising  you,  say- 
ing that  you  are  their  father.  I  have  tried  to 


112  UNLOOKED-FOR   CHANGES 

wean  these  people  away  from  you,  but  now  I 
will  force  them  to  leave  you,  and  this  man  now 
in  prison  will  be  an  example  and  a  warning  to 
the  others,  for  I  will  treat  all  thus,  and  will  not 
rest  until  you  are  compelled  by  me  to  leave 
this  land.  I  will  not  release  the  man ;  let  him 
remain  in  the  prison  a  time,  so  that  others  may 
be  afraid  to  disobey  my  commands." 

Before  a  crowd  of  wondering  Arabs,  chiefs, 
and  soldiers,  I  stood  my  ground  and  persisted, 
and  finding  that  he  would  not  yield,  I  finally 
said,  "  I  will  not  leave  your  room  in  which  I  now 
sit  until  that  man  is  released  and  given  over  to 
me."  Hour  after  hour  I  sat  there ;  time  after 
time  he  told  me  to  go,  it  was  useless  to  wait. 
Supper  time  came,  and  I  was  still  there ;  bed- 
time came,  and  I  was  prepared  to  pass  the  night 
there.  That  official  had  to  learn  that  my  word 
on  such  an  occasion  could  not  be  changed ;  one 
of  us  had  to  yield  and  that  one  was  not  to  be 
the  writer.  It  was  nearly  ten  o'clock,  and  the 
governor  wished  to  retire,  but  could  not  go 
away  and  leave  me  alone  in  his  room.  A  last 
persuasion  and  another  refusal  resulted  in  a 
command  to  a  soldier  to  have  the  man  set  free. 
I  demanded  that  he  be  brought  from  the  prison 
and  delivered  to  me  so  that  we  might  go  away 
together.  From  the  prison  in  the  old  Moabit- 


UNLOOKED-FOR   CHANGES  113 

ish  fortress  near  by,  my  Arab  friend  was 
brought,  and  together  we  left  the  official  room 
of  that  governor,  who  was  none  too  pleased  that 
right  had  won  and  he  had  been  humiliated 
before  the  people. 

Does  the  reader  wonder  that  I  have  many 
friends  in  Arab  lands  ?  Few  indeed  have  been 
the  friends  poor  Ishmael  has  ever  had,  and  they, 
like  people  in  other  lands,  appreciate  and  re- 
spond to  kindness.  Next  morning  I  was  sum- 
moned before  the  angry  official,  who  addressed 
me  thus,  "  Mr.  Forder,  if  your  Society  are  not 
proud  of  you,  they  ought  to  be ;  no  man  ever 
faced  me  as  you  have.  I  am  sorry  you  are  an 
Englishman,  for  you  would  make  such  a  good 
Turk.  Yesterday  you  gained  your  victory,  but  I 
will  gain  one  yet,  for  I  will  not  rest  until  I  have 
got  you  out  of  this  place." 

Then  followed  a  time  of  trial,  humiliation, 
persecution,  and  suspense  that  few  have  had 
to  endure.  That  governor  laid  false  charges 
against  me,  to  my  Society  and  to  our  consul  in 
Damascus.  Soldiers  followed  my  wife  and 
myself  wherever  we  went ;  from  early  morning 
until  late  at  night  our  gates  were  guarded,  and 
no  one  was  allowed  to  come  to  us  with  food  or 
other  things  to  sell.  Messages  were  sent  us 
again  and  again  that  unless  we  were  gone  in 


114  UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES 

so  many  hours  soldiers  would  be  sent  to  drive 
us  out  and  break  up  our  home.  To  all  this 
we  gave  no  heed ;  we  simply  "  committed  our 
way  to  the  Lord,  trusted  also  in  him,  and  he 
brought  it  to  pass." 

It  would  take  a  volume  to  detail  all  that  we 
endured  for  nearly  three  years  at  the  hand  of 
that  Turkish  governor,  but  it  must  remain 
untold  in  these  pages.  It  sufficeth  to  say  that 
he  went  to  such  extremes  that  he  overreached 
himself,  and  at  last,  through  our  complaints  and 
the  demands  of  an  energetic  consul  in  Damas- 
cus, he  was  removed  and  degraded,  much  to 
the  delight  of  the  natives  and  many  of  the 
minor  officials. 

All  through  this  time  of  opposition  and  dis- 
couragement I  forged  ahead  with  the  new 
buildings,  so  that  by  the  time  the  oppressor 
was  removed  we  had  ready  for  our  work  five 
roomy  houses,  all  above  ground,  with  windows, 
air-shafts,  and  paved  floors,  also  a  dispensary, 
consulting  room,  and  large  assembly  hall,  in 
which  the  people  now  gather  to  listen  to  the 
gospel  message  before  being  treated  by  the 
medical  missionary. 

With  the  going  of  the  governor  the  opposi- 
tion and  hard  measures  ceased,  and  better  times 
began  to  dawn.  The  coming  of  the  Turk  to 


UNLOOKED-FOR   CHANGES  115 

Moab  was  not  only  a  time  of  disaster  for  our 
work,  but  also  for  the  Arabs.  Two  calamities 
followed  the  advent  of  the  troops,  viz.  the 
coming  of  the  locusts,  which  resulted  in  a  time 
of  semi-famine  throughout  the  land.  Midst 
times  of  doubt  and  perplexity  amusing  inci- 
dents occurred  to  break  the  monotony  of  the 
situation. 

On  one  occasion  we  had  invited  a  lot  of 
women  and  children  to  partake  of  a  warm  meal. 
They  gladly  responded  to  the  invitation  in  spite 
of  the  orders  of  the  governor  forbidding  any 
to  enter  our  premises.  As  they  were  eating,  a 
furious  knocking  at  the  locked  door  was  heard. 
Those  outside  were  soldiers,  who  had  been  sent 
to  take  to  prison  the  women  and  children  who 
were  satisfying  the  demands  of  hunger  at  our 
expense.  I  refused  admittance  to  the  soldiers, 
so  they  decided  to  await  the  dismissal  of  the 
frightened  and  helpless  people.  The  feast 
over,  I  helped  the  women  and  children  to  leave 
by  means  of  a  ladder  leading  to  our  flat  roofs. 
Many  got  away  without  being  detected,  but 
somehow  the  last  ones  were  seen  getting  away, 
followed  by  the  soldiers,  and  stopped.  The 
order  to  line  up  and  walk  to  prison  was  not 
obeyed  by  the  daughters  of  Moab.  Instead, 
they  sat  down  in  the  street  and  mockingly  told 


Il6  UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES 

the  soldiers,  "  If  you  want  us  in  prison,  carry 
us  there,  otherwise  we  shall  not  get  there." 
Whilst  this  street  scene  was  being  enacted, 
much  to  the  delight  of  even  the  sedate  Arab, 
I  was  having  a  stormy  interview  with  the  gov- 
ernor in  his  room,  and  sarcastically  taunting 
him  with  some  such  words  as  these,  "  The 
government  of  the  Sultan  was  becoming  bad 
indeed,  when  its  representatives  had  nothing 
better  to  do  than  to  imprison  women  and  chil- 
dren for  appeasing  their  hunger.  Had  it  come 
to  prisons  for  women  in  a  land  and  empire 
where  they  were  considered  more  or  less  free 
from  interference  by  men?"  Such  arguments 
prevailed,  and  orders  were  sent  that  the  women 
and  children  were  to  be  released  and  not  mo- 
lested again. 

Such  trials  and  experiences  endured  for  any 
time  unknowingly  have  their  effect  upon  hu- 
man nature;  we  felt  the  long  strain  severely  and 
were  glad  when  it  was  relaxed.  No  sooner, 
however,  was  one  term  of  difficulty  over  than 
another,  from  a  less  expected  quarter,  came. 

We  had  been  supported  for  some  time  by 
the  Episcopal  Church  Missionary  Society,  with 
whom  we  had  worked  amicably  and  acceptably, 
when  the  question  was  raised  concerning  our 
denominational  standing.  I  had  been  trained 


UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES  1 1/ 

and  brought  up  in  the  Wesleyan  Methodist 
Church,  and  was  now  employed  by  the  State 
Church  of  England.  Everything,  except  in 
one  point,  was  favorable  to  my  continuance  as 
a  missionary  of  that  denomination ;  the  missing 
qualification  was  that  I  had  -  never  been  con- 
firmed. Ritualistic  and  religious  barriers  ex- 
cluded my  being  engaged  as  a  missionary  of 
an  Episcopal  Society,  so  I  had  presented  to 
me  the  choice  of  two  things:  first,  being  con- 
firmed and  becoming  a  fully  fledged  Episco- 
palian and  remaining  where  I  was ;  and  second, 
that  of  retaining  the  beliefs  and  teaching  of 
my  early  days  and  conscience,  and  sever  my 
relation  with  the  Society  I  was  serving.  The 
temptation  to  hold  on  was  strong,  but  con- 
science prevailed ;  refusing  to  become  an  Epis- 
copalian practically  meant  commencing  life 
over  again,  but  God  gave  me  courage  and  grace 
to  stand  by  my  convictions. 

A  few  months  later  we  left  the  people  and 
land,  both  of  which  we  loved  and  were  willing 
to  spend  our  lives  for.  The  separation  was  a 
hard  one;  the  people  never  understood  why  we 
left  them  for  others  to  take  our  place.  God 
grant  that  they  never  may  know  of  the  jeal- 
ousies that  keep  men  bearing  the  name  of 
Christ  from  becoming  one  under  that  name! 


Il8  UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES 

At  dawn  one  morning  we  quietly  left  oui 
mountain  home  in  Moab,  driven  out  not  by  the 
semi-civilized  Arab  or  the  jealous,  fanatical 
Turk,  but  by  those  who  put  ceremonial  require- 
ments and  sectarianism  before  the  qualifications, 
suitability,  and  willingness  of  those  willing  to 
give  their  life  for  those  still  in  the  bondage  and 
darkness  of  heathendom  or  Islam.  I  left  Kerak 
knowing  that  I  had  done  my  best  for  every  one 
I  had  tried  to  serve,  whether  the  Moabite  in  his 
city  or  the  nomad  in  the  wilderness.  It  was  at 
least  encouraging  to  know  that  those  I  was 
leaving  were  sufficiently  satisfied  with  the  way 
I  had  served  them  to  give  me  the  following 
recommendation :  — 

"  Mr.  Archibald  Forder  has  been  engaged  in 
mission  work  at  Kerak  on  the  east  of  the  Jor- 
dan for  five  and  a  half  years,  three  of  which 
have  been  spent  in  connection  with  the  Church 
Missionary  Society.  Mr.  Forder  is  a  very  ear- 
nest Christian  and  a  most  energetic  worker,  and 
the  present  promising  position  of  the  mission 
work  at  Kerak  is  due  largely  to  his  zeal  and 
enterprise  under  God. 

"  During  the  first  two  or  three  years  that  Mr. 
Forder  was  at  Kerak  the  work  was  specially 
difficult  and  full  of  danger  on  account  of  the 
wild  and  uncivilized  state  of  the  people.  They 


PHOTOGRAPH   BY  A.  FORCES 


AN   EASTERN   CARAVANSARY 

These  temporary  shelters  are  found  in  all  Eastern  cities.  Man  and  beast  may  have  shelter 
and  drink  for  about  six  cents  a  night.  A  fountain  in  the  center  of  the  inclosure  yields 
a  constant  supply  of  fresh  water. 


THE   COFFEE   MAKER 

Coffee  is  the  only  beverage  of  the  Arab.  After  the  berries  are  roasted,  they  are  pounded 
in  a  large  mortar.  The  chief  always  drinks  first,  then  serves  his  guests.  No  milk  or  sugar 
is  added.  A  woman  is  never  allowed  to  make  coffee. 


UNLOOKED-FOR  CHANGES  119 

were  at  that  time  beyond  the  control  of  even 
the  Turkish  Government,  and  every  man  did 
what  was  right  in  his  own  eyes.  The  greatest 
credit  is  due  to  Mr.  Forder  for  the  tact  with 
which  he  dealt  with  the  people,  which  was  used 
by  God  to  the  opening  of  doors  for  the  procla- 
mation of  the  gospel  in  very  many  ways.  We 
are  all  very  sorry  to  lose  Mr.  Forder  from  our 
mission  band,  but  we  trust  and  pray  that  the 
Lord  will  speedily  thrust  him  forth  into  other 
work  for  Him,  and  own  and  bless  him  even 
more  than  whilst  he  was  at  Kerak.  Wherever 
he  may  take  up  work,  the  C.  M.  S.  Palestine 
Mission  will  always  regard  him  as  one  of  their 
number. 

"  J.  R.  LONGLEY  HALL. 

"  Jerusalem,  February  ijtb,  1897." 

Thus,  for  sectarian  reasons  only,  was  lost  to 
a  difficult  mission  field  well-tried,  acclimatized, 
experienced,  and  all-round  good  workers.  But 
larger  possibilities  were  in  the  future,  although 
the  means  are  still  needed  to  adequately  carry 
them  to  a  successful  issue. 


CHAPTER  XII 

INTO  NEW  REGIONS,  AMONG  SUPERSTITIOUS  ZEALOTS 

AFTER  leaving  Kerak  we  retired  to  Jerusa- 
lem, and  began  to  consider  plans  for  the 
future.     We  had  before  us  some  serious  and 
important  questions  to  face  and  answer. 

1.  Should  the  Arab  suffer  for  our  leaving 
Moab? 

2.  Should  the  commands  of  our  Lord  about 
"  all    the    world "    and    "  every   creature "    be 
passed  by  heedlessly,  with  our  knowledge  of  the 
need  of  Arabia  and  its  people  ? 

3.  Ought  we  to  allow  the  action  of  those  we 
had  served  to  hinder  us  from  going  ahead  to 
win  the  Arabs  for  Christ  ? 

To  all  this  there  could  be  but  one  answer  — 
No.  My  desire  was  to  go  ahead  with  what  I 
had  in  the  way  of  experience  and  my  knowledge 
of  the  language.  Prayer  and  patience  were 
soon  answered,  and  doors  opened,  and  supplies 
forthcoming,  to  enable  me  to  penetrate  new 
regions  and  reach  tribes  and  peoples  never 
before  preached  to.  For  a  time  unevangelized 
districts  within  easy  reach  of  Jerusalem  claimed 

120 


INTO   NEW   REGIONS  121 

my  attention,  and  some  account  of  the  visits 
made  to  these  localities  will  occupy  the  space 
given  in  this  chapter. 

Some  may  ask  why  I  did  not  stay  in  Moab 
and  carry  on  an  independent  work  among  the 
people  I  knew  so  well.  That  was  considered, 
but  finally  abandoned,  because  we  felt,  as  did 
many  of  our  best  friends,  that  an  opposition 
mission  would  cause  questionings  among  the 
simple  people  that  would  be  difficult  to  answer, 
and  we  would  not  have  any  work  ruined  by  the 
Arabs  knowing  that  among  Protestants  sec- 
tarian differences  were  sufficiently  strong  to 
allow  one  section  of  the  church  to  treat  another 
as  they  had  me. 

But  to  return  to  my  story.  I  spent  three 
weeks  among  the  villages  around  Hebron  and 
with  the  Arabs  in  the  wilderness  of  Beersheba. 

For  the  first  time  in  my  journeys  among  the 
Arabs  I  used  a  tent;  a  friend  gave  me  some 
money  toward  it,  and  by  doing  a  little  work 
myself  in  spare  time  I  made  up  the  sum  needed 
to  buy  it.  I  found  it  very  useful  and  a  great 
boon.  It  was  a  place  for  the  people  to  come 
to,  so  I  always  had  a  congregation.  Of  course, 
tenting  in  that  land  is  a  hard  life  —  sleeping 
on  the  ground,  always  under  a  hot  sun,  and  no 
companions  save  the  Arabs.  I  often  get  weary 


122  INTO    NEW   REGIONS 

and  long  for  a  soft  bed  and  the  comforts  of 
home.  But  this  is  the  only  way  to  reach  these 
wandering  people,  so  I  am  thankful  for  health 
and  strength  and  the  language  of  the  people. 
I  left  Hebron  one  morning  about  nine,  my 
things  on  a  mule  and  I  on  a  donkey,  the  owner 
of  the  animals  walking.  After  about  four  hours' 
jogging  up  hill  and  down  vale,  we  came  to  a 
large  village  named  Dawimee.  At  the  entrance 
I  asked  where  the  guest-chamber  was ;  being 
shown,  I  went  there  and  found  a  lot  of  men  in 
it.  I  sat  down  and  was  given  some  coffee  ;  no 
one  welcomed  me,  and  I  saw  I  had  a  hard  lot 
to  deal  with.  After  about  an  hour  a  chance 
occurred  to  me  to  talk  about  sin,  leading  up  to 
Jesus.  Presently  a  man  said  to  me,  "  Do  you 
know  you  are  preaching  in  our  mosque,  and 
you  a  Christian,  unclean,  an  infidel,  and  one  of 
the  heathen;  only  a  short  time  ago  we  killed 
two  Jews  here  and  you  are  all  alone !  "  Then 
they  all  got  up  and  went  out  very  angry.  I  was 
thinking  what  I  should  do,  when  in  came  a  man 
and  asked  me  to  go  to  his  house  and  stay  the 
night.  "  The  people  are  very  bad  here,"  he  said ; 
so  I  went  with  him.  He  put  me  in  a  corner  of 
his  yard,  and  as  it  was  sunset  I  had  my  supper. 
After  this  my  host  and  his  uncle  came  and  sat 
down  with  me  and  I  began  to  tell  them  of  Jesus 


INTO   NEW  REGIONS  123 

the  Saviour.  For  two  hours  they  listened  very 
attentively,  and  asked  many  questions.  On  into 
the  night  we  talked.  They  said,  "  We  never 
knew  these  things  before,  now  we  have  no 
excuse  ;  we  are  glad  you  came ;  there  is  no  way 
but  Jesus." 

Next  morning  early  I  lay  as  they  thought 
asleep,  I  heard  them  telling  others  all  I  told 
them,  so  my  visit  was  not  in  vain.  I  left  during 
the  morning,  glad  that  some  at  least  were  will- 
ing to  hear  me.  After  riding  about  two  and  a 
half  hours  I  saw  a  man  in  a  large  cave  near  the 
road.  As  it  was  noon  and  very  hot,  I  went  to 
him.  He  received  me  kindly,  invited  me  in,  and 
gave  me  dinner,  —  bread,  oil,  and  dirty  water. 
Soon  after  came  two  more  men  that  stayed 
with  him  in  the  cave.  They  were  there  har- 
vesting. I  began  to  talk  with  them  about  Jesus, 
and  for  a  long  time  they  listened.  Then  one 
said  he  could  read.  If  I  had  a  book  to  give 
him,  he  would  like  one.  So  I  gave  him  the 
Gospel  of  Matthew,  and  left  him  reading  it  to 
his  companions.  From  here  I  reached  an  en- 
campment of  Arabs,  put  up  my  tent,  and  soon 
had  a  crowd  to  stare  at  me,  but,  finding  them 
noisy,  I  shut  down  the  door  and  went  to  the 
guest-tent.  During  the  day  I  had  no  chance  of 
speaking  about  Jesus.  The  people  had  some 


124  INTO   NEW   REGIONS 

visitors  and  had  business  to  settle,  so  I  got  my 
supper  of  bread,  onions,  and  water,  and  then, 
when  all  was  quiet,  went  and  sat  down  on  the 
ground  in  the  middle  of  some  twelve  or  four- 
teen men.  As  it  was  full  moon  I  could  see 
them  all.  On  telling  them  I  wanted  to  speak 
with  them,  they  told  me  to  go  on  and  talk. 
When  I  got  to  the  death  of  Jesus,  a  man 
began  to  play  a  native  fiddle,  but  was  soon  told 
by  the  others  to  be  quiet,  as  they  wanted  to 
listen.  So  here  again,  far  on  into  the  night,  I 
talked  with  them,  and  they  agreed  that  all  I  had 
said  was  good  and  true. 

Next  day  found  me  at  Beersheba,  the  home 
and  favorite  camping-ground  of  the  patriarchs. 
Thousands  of  Bedouin  gather  there  from  all 
parts  of  the  sandy  desert,  to  draw  water  for 
their  numerous  flocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of 
camels.  Beersheba  remains  much  the  same 
as  it  was  in  the  days  of  Abraham.  The  seven 
wells  dug  by  the  "father  of  the  faithful"  still 
remain,  and  from  some  of  them  water  is  still 
drawn.  During  my  first  visit  there  an  old  Arab, 
sunburnt,  half  clad,  and  ignorant,  pointed  with 
pride  to  one  of  the  wells,  and  was  delighted  to 
inform  me  that  their  father  Abraham  dug  it 
and  watered  his  flocks  from  it.  The  old  stones, 
deeply  grooved  by  the  rubbing  and  wear  of  the 


DRAWING  WATER  AT  BEERSHEBA 

A  primitive  windlass  turned  by  a  camel  is  used  to  draw  water  from  the  wells  at  Beersheba. 
These  erections  are  quite  modern,  although  water  has  been  drawn  trom  the  wells  tor  centu- 
ries. All  the  woodwork  is  done  by  native  carpenters. 


PHOTOGRAPH   BY    A.  FORDER 

HAGAR'S  WELL  IN  THE   DESERT  OF  BEERSHEBA 

The  Arabs  believe  that  this  is  the  well  from  which  water  was  taken  by  Hagar  to  give  drink 
to  Ishmael  (Gen.  21    19).     The  grooves  in  the  stones  have  been  worn  by  the  ropes  ot  the 
shepherds  as  they  draw  water,  and  prove  how  ancient  this  well  is.     Ine  shatt  is 
ten  feet  in  diameter  and  one  hundred  feet  deep. 


INTO   NEW   REGIONS  125 

ropes,  bore  undisputable  testimony  to  the  an- 
tiquity of  these  life-giving  resorts  in  the  dry 
and  desolate  region  known  as  the  Negeb. 
It  was  not  difficult  to  engage  the  Arabs  in 
conversation  about  religion,  and  to  those  able 
to  read,  Scriptures  were  disposed  of  with  a 
prayer  that  the  reader  might  get  help  from  it. 
Ofttimes  fanatics  had  to  be  faced  and  dealt 
with,  and  many  unpleasant  incidents  occurred 
which  might  have  resulted  seriously  but  for  an 
overruling  Providence  that  makes  even  the 
wrath  of  man  to  praise  Him.  Not  only  was  Beer- 
sheba  visited,  but  farther  into  that  dreary  waste 
I  went.  The  story  of  the  boy  who  became  an 
archer  and  dwelt  in  that  same  wilderness  was 
understood  as  never  before,  and  the  story  made 
doubly  real  and  interesting  when  I  stood  by  the 
open  well  in  the  desert  and  from  a  Bedouin 
shepherd  listened  to  the  story  of  Ishmael  and 
his  distressed  mother  Hagar,  after  whom  the 
well  is  still  named.  No  books  have  taught 
these  ancient  truths  to  the  nomads  of  the  des- 
ert ;  they  have  come  down  to  them  from  genera- 
tion to  generation  with  little  change.  It  was 
near  the  well  of  Hagar  that  I  was  forbidden  to 
linger,  lest  my  presence  should  dry  up  the 
water.  Guns  and  clubs  were  ready  to  be  used 
if  I  persisted  in  remaining  too  long. 


126  INTO   NEW   REGIONS 

Falling  in  with  a  good-hearted  chief,  I  accom- 
panied him  to  his  encampment,  consisting  of 
about  two  hundred  houses  of  hair.  His  people 
were  a  surly  lot,  and  but  for  my  host  I  would 
have  fared  badly.  I  stayed  a  few  days  with 
these  dwellers  in  the  wilderness  of  Beersheba 
and  then  induced  the  chief  to  accompany  me  to 
the  historic  site  of  Kadesh-Barnea.  Some  few 
men,  scared  at  the  presence  of  a  Westerner, 
attempted  to  stop  me,  but  my  temporary 
guardian  had  sufficient  influence  in  those  parts 
to  conduct  me  safely  to  the  oasis  so  closely 
connected  with  the  wanderings  of  the  Israel- 
ites. My  presence  at  old  Kadesh-Barnea  was 
resented  and  strongly  objected  to  by  the  super- 
stitious people  I  met  there.  Most  of  them 
were  shepherds,  who  feared  the  "  evil  eye  "  and 
the  coming  into  their  parts  of  any  with  some 
mysterious  qualification  that  would  enable  them 
to  cause  the  springs  to  dry  up  and  stop  the 
earth  from  yielding  her  produce.  Rifles  were 
loaded  as  a  warning  to  me  if  I  attempted  any  of 
my  mesmeric  performances ;  but  there  was  no 
(occasion  for  their  use,  as  my  actions  did  not  call 
ifor  anything  unusual.  A  drop  of  cold  tea 
jemptied  out  of  my  flask  on  to  the  ground  near 
/a  spring  caused  much  suspicion  and  excite- 
ment, for  surely  I  was  attempting  to  stop  the 


INTO   NEW   REGIONS  127 

flow  of  the  water  that  meant  so  much  to  those 
ignorant,  isolated  sons  of  the  desert.  Abuse 
was  freely  and  liberally  showered  upon  my  Arab 
friend,  and  he  deemed  it  wise  to  depart  and 
leave  his  fanatical  neighbors  to  await  any  dis- 
aster that  might  follow  our  visit.  Strange  it 
seemed  to  the  wanderer  that  no  ill  effects  re- 
sulted from  my  advent,  either  to  spring,  flock, 
or  individual,  and  on  return  visits  a  more  hos- 
pitable reception  has  been  given  me. 

Not  only  did  the  country  of  the  patriarchs 
receive  attention  from  me,  but  also  those  parts 
south  of  Moab,  terminating  in  the  rock-hewn 
city  of  Petra,  with  its  magnificent  ravines  and 
wonderful  excavations,  all  tinted  by  nature  in 
every  conceivable  shade  and  pattern.  Few 
have  penetrated  these  recesses.  The  wild  na- 
ture of  the  Bedouin  and  the  absence  of  any 
human  help  in  case  of  need  debar  most  people 
from  going  to  this  ancient,  rock-hewn  city,  which 
is  full  of  historic  interest  and  fascination.  My 
knowledge  of  the  land  and  people  has  enabled 
me  to  pay  many  visits  there  with  good  results. 

On  my  first  visit  I  learned  from  an  excited 
and  fanatical  lot  of  zealots  that  I  was  on  ground 
jealously  guarded  by  religious  and  sacred  mem- 
ory and  instinct,  and  that  the  presence  of  the 
Christian  was  unwelcome  and  undesirable. 


128  INTO   NEW  REGIONS 

By  careful  and  diplomatic  investigation  I 
learned  from  the  Arabs  of  Petra  that  on  the 
summit  of  Mount  Hor  near  by  they  had  what 
they  called  the  Tomb  of  Aaron.  By  careful 
drawing  out  I  learned  from  them  the  history, 
pedigree,  and  pathetic  closing  scene  connected 
with  the  first  High  Priest  of  Israel.  After 
hearing  them,  I  read  them  from  the  Bible  the 
account  of  Aaron,  dying  on  Mount  Hor  in 
Edom,  as  it  is  recorded  in  Numbers  xx.  23-29. 
They  were  deeply  interested,  and  assured  me 
that  the  old  tomb  on  the  mountain  was  still 
preserved  and  jealously  guarded  by  them.  I 
expressed  a  desire  to  visit  so  interesting  a  place, 
but  at  once  religious  zeal  and  fanaticism  came 
to  the  front,  and  I  was  assured  that  any  at- 
tempts on  my  part  to  scale  the  mount  and 
approach  the  tomb  would  cost  me  my  life. 

They  were  prepared  to  preserve  the  sanctity 
of  Aaron's  last  and  long  resting-place,  even  if 
it  meant  killing  me.  No  Christian  had  ever 
approached  the  place,  and  the  doing  so  would 
arouse  the  wrath  of  the  dead,  and  bring  devas- 
tation and  disaster  upon  the  whole  region. 
So  argued  and  believed  these  zealots  of  Arabia 
Petrea,  and  the  speedy  production  of  firearms 
and  weapons  showed  that  any  attempt  to  force 
a  visit  might  result  in  disaster.  Reluctantly 


INTO   NEW   REGIONS  129 

I  left  those  parts,  a  sad  but  wiser  man.  Since 
then,  experience  and  a  better  feeling  and 
knowledge  of  the  Arabs  there  have  enabled 
me  to  ascend  the  rugged  mount  and  see  for 
myself  the  ancient,  and  without  doubt  authentic, 
tomb  of  the  brother  of  Moses, 

I  count  myself  fortunate  in  being  the  first 
to  secure  photographs  of  this  interesting  shrine, 
so  carefully  guarded  and  long  preserved  in  the 
rocky  recesses  of  Mount  Seir. 

Many  journeys  were  made  from  time  to 
time  to  untouched  parts,  and  very  profitable 
visits  made  with  the  natives  in  town,  village, 
or  camp.  More  than  one  volume  would  be 
necessary  to  chronicle  my  many  experiences 
during  first  visits  to  new  places.  Patience 
and  perseverance,  however,  generally  wins  in 
the  long  run,  and  those  once  opposed  and  in- 
clined to  be  unfriendly  are  now  on  my  side. 
Succeeding  chapters  will  reveal  still  more 
thrilling  and  providential  experiences  and  de- 
liverances than  any  yet  recorded  in  these 
pages.  All  that  I  have  escaped  I  owe  to  a 
covenant  and  promise  keeping  God,  and  the 
realization  of  the  presence  of  One  who  said, 
"  Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end 
of  the  world." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

ARABIA   THE    DESERT    OF   THE   SEA 

MUCH  moving  about  among  the  Arabs 
in  the  wilderness  and  region  south  and 
southeast  of  Jerusalem  had  made  me  inter- 
ested in  the  unknown  beyond.  From  an  occa- 
sional visitor  to  some  camp  or  town  I  would 
hear  of  the  cities,  towns,  and  encampments  of 
Arabia,  across  the  sandy  plains  that  I  had  so 
often  looked  on  during  my  stay  in  Moab.  As 
I  considered  the  vast  expanse  southeast  of 
Jerusalem,  the  desire  grew  upon  me  to  pene- 
trate the  desert,  and  find  out  what  the  possibil- 
ities were  for  one  who  ventured  into  those 
regions,  openly  avowing  himself  a  Christian. 
The  few  works  on  Arabia,  written  by  men 
like  Palgrave,  Doughty,  or  Burton,  did  not 
promise  a  good  time  to  any  who  went  among 
the  Arabians.  I  was  encouraged  to  go  ahead 
by  people  interested  in  mission  work  in  needy 
fields,  and  so  prepared  to  go,  and  if  possible 
reach  the  capital  of  the  peninsula,  a  city  named 

Hayel,  and  have  an  interview  with  the  inde- 

130 


ARABIA  THE   DESERT   OF  THE   SEA          131 

pendent   ruler  of   that   land,    Abdul-Azeez-ibn 
Rasheed. 

I  propose  in  this  chapter  giving  a  short 
account  of  the  land  I  was  then  preparing  to 
enter,  so  that  a  good  understanding  of  its  loca- 
tion, history,  and  condition  may  be  gained  by 
the  reader. 

Arabia.     Its  Location 

The  great  peninsula  known  in  these  days 
as  Arabia  is  one  of  the  oldest  known  parts  of 
the  earth.  Long  before  the  sons  of  Jacob 
went  down  into  Egypt,  the  sons  of  Ishmael  had 
settled  in  the  land  Providence  had  assigned 
them.  The  boundaries  of  Arabia  are  out- 
lined as  early  in  the  Bible  as  Genesis,  xxv.  18. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  many  centuries  ago 
Palestine,  Syria,  and  the  Sinaitic  Peninsula  were 
important  parts  of  Arabia.  Isaiah  speaks  of 
it  as  the  "desert  of  the  sea"  (xxi.  i),  and  when 
one  considers  it  a  land  largely  desert,  almost 
entirely  surrounded  by  water,  we  conclude  that 
the  ancient  seer  was  not  far  wrong  in  his  desig- 
nation of  the  land.  Arabia  is  between  Egypt 
and  Persia,  to  put  it  widely,  also  between  India 
and  Europe.  It  has  a  sea-coast  of  about  four 
thousand  miles. 

Its  boundaries  are:  on  the  east,  the  Per- 
sian Gulf  and  the  Gulf  of  Oman ;  the  south- 


132         ARABIA  THE   DESERT  OF  THE   SEA 

ern  coast  is  washed  by  the  Indian  Ocean ;  the 
Red  Sea  and  the  Gulf  of  Akaba  form  the 
western  boundary,  whilst  an  undefined  desert 
on  the  north  leaves  us  in  uncertainty  as  to  the 
exact  limit  in  that  direction.  Arabia  covers  an 
area  of  over  one  million  square  miles ;  the  pen- 
insula is  about  one  thousand  miles,. long  and 
about  seven  hundred  broad.  It  is  four  times 
the  size  of  France,  and  larger  than  the  United 
States  east  of  the  Mississippi  River. 

Divisions 

Arabia  is  divided  into  three  parts,  viz.  Ara- 
bia Felix  at  the  southwest  section  of  the  coun- 
try; Arabia  Petrea  at  the  northwest  end;  and 
Arabia  Deserta,  the  great  interior  deserts  and 
high  lands.  These  three  main  divisions  are 
divided  into  districts,  and  known  as  Yemen, 
including  Hadramaut,  Oman,  Nejran,  and  some 
minor  places ;  El  Hejaz  on  the  west  coast, 
which  includes  in  its  borders  the  two  sacred 
cities  of  the  Mohammedans  —  Mecca,  the  birth- 
place of  their  prophet,  and  Medina,  the  place 
where  he  died  and  was  buried  ;  Nejd,  the  great 
centre,  reaching  far  north  and  east,  thus  losing 
itself  in  the  districts  of  Aragand  Hassa ;  and 
Jebel  Shomer  on  the  Syrian  border,  which  is 
really  a  part  of  Nejd. 


.  FORDER 

A   SECTION   OF   THE   SIK   (RAVINE),   ARABIA   PETREA 

Arabia  Petrea  is  ten  days'  journey  south  of  Jerusalem,  and  famous  for  the  wonderful  rock- 
hewn  city  of  Petra.  This  city  is  entered  through  a  long  ravine  called  by  the  Arabs  "  The 
Sik."  The  rock  on  either  side  is  of  many  colors,  and  in  places  covered  by  ferns  and  creepers. 
The  gorge  is  about  a  mile  long  and  terminates  in  front  of  a  magnificent  rock-hewn  temple 
(see  page  286).  I  .  1.  '.  !  *.  .'  •*•  T 


i 


ARABIA  THE  DESERT  OF  THE   SEA         133 

Principal  Cities 

In  Yemen  are  Sana  the  capital,  Hodeida  the 
principal  port,  and  many  smaller  towns,  but  none 
of  importance.  Aden  cannot  properly  be  called 
a  city,  although  a  considerable  place.  In  reality 
it  is  a  fortress  that  guards  the  way  to  India. 
In  Hejaz  the  principal  cities  are  Mecca  and 
Medina,  also  layf,  not  far  distant  from  Mecca. 
The  port  of  Hejaz  is  Jeddah,  and  Yambo  is 
used  during  certain  seasons  of  the  year.  Nejd 
has  for  its  capital  Hayel.  Riad,  Aneeza,  Bo- 
reida,  and  Dooreeyah  are  large  centres  of  popu- 
lation tributary  to  and  included  in  Nejd.  Jebel 
Shomer  has  only  two  places  of  importance,  El- 
Jowf  and  Sakkaka,  both  under  the  government 
of  Nejd.  Arag  has  many  towns  and  cities,  of 
which  Baghdad  is  the  most  important.  Kuweit, 
Kateef,  and  Hofoof  keep  up  the  prestige  of 
Hassa.  In  all  these  divisions  and  districts 
towns  and  villages  innumerable  are  found,  but 
to  enumerate  them  would  be  beyond  the  scope 
of  this  book. 

Governmental  Control  and  Influence 

Three  powers  control  the  affairs  and  move- 
ments in  Arabia.  Nearly  all  of  Yemen,  Hejaz, 
Hassa,  and  Arag  is  under  Turkish  government 


134         ARABIA  THE   DESERT   OF   THE   SEA 

and  control,  as  is  the  eastern  half  of  the  Sinaitic 
peninsula.  The  coast  of  the  Persian  Gulf  and 
a  goodly  track  of  country  around  Aden  are  con- 
trolled by  the  British ;  Nejd,  the  great  interior, 
has  its  own  ruler,  who  is  independent  of  any 
of  the  great  powers,  even  its  neighbor,  Turkey. 
In  spite  of  many  attempts  to  gain  Nejd  for 
,  Egypt  and  even  Turkey,  that  great  table-land 
still  remains  free  and  independent.  The  time 
may  not  be  far  distant  when  a  more  aggressive 
and  enlightened  government  may  control  the 
peninsula,  and  use  it  as  a  bridge  to  join  East 
and  West  and  reduce  the  distance  and  time 
between  them.  What  or  who  that  power  will 
be,  remains  to  be  seen. 

Population  and  Language 

In  a  country  so  little  known  as  Arabia,  and 
where  no  census  is  ever  taken,  it  is  very  diffi- 
cult to  even  estimate  the  population.  Various 
statements  have  been  made  from  time  to  time 
during  the  last  century  by  those  who  ventured 
into  the  land.  Some  have  estimated  eight  mil- 
lions as  the  total  of  the  inhabitants  of  Arabia, 
others  have  put  the  number  at  fourteen  millions. 
It  is  generally  agreed  that  eleven  millions  is  a 
fair  estimate  for  the  three  great  divisions  that 


ARABIA  THE   DESERT   OF   THE   SEA          135 

are  included  in  the  peninsula.  Whatever  the 
number  of  millions  in  Arabia  may  be,  we  have 
fulfilled  in  them  the  four  times  repeated  prom- 
ise concerning  Ishmael,  "  He  shall  become  a 
great  nation,  that  shall  not  be  numbered  for 
multitude." 

The  language  of  the  whole  country  is  Ara- 
bic, with  varying  dialects,  pronunciations,  and 
vocabularies  in  different  parts.  The  purest 
Arabic  spoken  is  heard  in  Nejd,  and  may  be 
accounted  for  by  its  isolation  and  non-contami- 
nation by  other  languages.  The  Arabic  lan- 
guage is  one  of  the  hardest  to  acquire. 

Before  leaving  for  the  field  the  writer  was 
told  by  a  lifelong  Arabic  scholar,  "  I  have 
studied  Arabic  for  more  than  forty  years,  and 
am  only  just  beginning  to  understand  it."  Let 
me  quote  Ion  Keith  Falconer,  who,  after  pass- 
ing the  Semitic  Languages  Tripos  at  Cam- 
bridge, and  taking  a  special  course  in  Arabic 
at  Leipzig,  writes  from  Egypt,  "  I  am  getting 
on  in  Arabic,  but  it  is  most  appallingly  hard." 
Five  years  later  he  writes  from  Aden,  "  I  am 
learning  to  speak  Arabic  quite  nicely,  but  it 
will  be  long  before  I  can  deliver  real  dis- 
courses." Progress  in  Arabic  means  years  of 
weary,  ceaseless  plodding  and  endless  diligence. 
Arabic  for  mission  use  is  not  picked  up. 


136         ARABIA  THE  DESERT  OF  THE   SEA 

Religion  of  Arabia 

Arabia  has  always  been  a  land  of  religion. 
At  different  periods  in  its  history  it  has  had 
its  followers  of  and  adherents  to  Judaism,  prim- 
itive Christianity,  heathendom,  that  permitted 
the  most  cruel,  degrading,  and  disgusting  prac- 
tices. Star,  sun,  and  fire  worshippers  have  all 
advocated  their  beliefs,  forms  of  worship,  and 
sacrifices  in  Arabia,  but  it  remained  for  the 
great  enthusiast  of  the  desert  to  gather  the 
people  of  the  "  desert  of  the  sea "  under  one 
system  and  lead  them  to  a  belief  in  One  God 
and  Mohammed  as  his  messenger. 

For  thirteen  hundred  years  the  Arabs  of 
Arabia  have  clung  tenaciously  to  the  teaching 
of  the  Meccan  youth,  and  are  now  known  as 
Moslems  or  Mohammedans. 

In  Yemen,  Arag,  and  on  the  Persian  Gulf, 
thousands  of  Jews  still  reside,  tolerated  by  the 
Moslem  because  of  the  service,  plunder,  and 
use  they  can  extort  from  them  from  time  to 
time.  In  Arabia  the  two  branches  of  the  de- 
scendants of  Abraham  have  no  love  or  even 
respect  for  each  other,  although  they  adore 
and  pride  themselves  on  their  patriarchal  an- 
cestry. In  another  chapter  the  present-day 
religion  of  the  Arabs  will  be  described. 


ARABIA  THE   DESERT   OF   THE   SEA          137 

Products  of  Arabia 

From  such  a  land  much  cannot  be  expected, 
and  yet  different  lines  of  steamers  carry  away 
cargoes  of  things  to  be  used  in  other  lands. 
Yemen  exports  enormous  quantities  of  coffee, 
hides,  senna,  and  incense.  From  the  Persian 
Gulf  shores  and  the  hinterland  dates  go  to  all 
parts  of  civilization.  Nejd,  the  great  unex- 
plored interior,  furnishes  the  British  army  in 
India  and  Egypt  with  thousands  of  camels  and 
horses.  The  great  centres  of  population  in 
Palestine,  Syria,  and  even  Egypt  ofttimes  have 
their  meat  supplies  replenished  by  tens  of 
thousands  of  sheep  and  goats  bred  and  fed  on 
the  mountains  and  in  the  oases  of  the  great 
peninsula. 

Animals,  Wild  and  Domestic 

The  nature  of  the  country  is  not  conducive 
to  anything  elaborate  in  this  way.  Under  wild 
animals  may  be  named  wolf,  wild  boar,  jackal, 
hyena,  fox,  wild  cow,  about  the  size  of  a  donkey, 
gazelle,  and  a  few  rabbits.  Domestic  animals 
are  few,  but  important,  by  reason  of  their  great 
utility.  They  include  the  camel,  horse,  mule, 
donkey,  cow,  sheep,  and  goat.  The  dog  is 
everywhere  found,  and  in  the  desert  is  the 


138         ARABIA  THE   DESERT  OF  THE   SEA 

protector  and  alarmist  on  the  approach  of 
strangers.  A  few  birds  and  reptiles  exist ;  none, 
however,  except  the  ostrich,  of  any  importance. 

Means  of  Transportation 

Until  quite  recently  railroads  were  unknown 
in  Arabia,  and  even  now  only  one  is  in  process 
of  construction.  Under  the  Turkish  govern- 
ment, paid  for  by  money  from  all  parts  of  the 
Mohammedan  world,  a  railroad  is  being  laid 
down  from  Damascus  to  Mecca.  If  ever  this 
is  completed,  it  will  be  a  modern  miracle,  and 
no  doubt  will  go  a  long  way  toward  opening 
up  the  land  and  helping  inquisitive  travellers 
to  get  into  Mecca.  Time  alone  will  answer 
the  inquiry,  "Will  it  be  finished?"  In  the 
mountains,  where  water  can  be  had  once  a  day, 
the  mule,  horse,  or  donkey  may  be  hired  for  a 
journey  at  a  very  low  rate. 

If  the  desert  has  to  be  crossed,  and  the  scarc- 
ity of  water  reckoned  with,  then  the  unsightly 
but  useful  camel  must  be  sought.  With  his 
spongy  hoof,  long  neck,  quick  eye,  and  abil- 
ity to  abstain  for  ten  days  from  water,  the 
camel  is  well  equipped  for  the  desert  journey. 
Treated  kindly  and  regularly  fed,  this  patient 
but  much  maligned  animal  will  do  excellent 
service  and  carry  its  rider  many  hundreds  of 


ARABIA  THE   DESERT   OF  THE   SEA          139 

miles.  Wheeled  vehicles  are  practically  un- 
known in  Arabia,  except  on  the  coast. 

What  is  being  done  to  evangelize  Arabia? 
Little,  but  thank  God  something.  At  Aden  a 
small  mission  ministers  to  the  physical  needs  of 
the  Arabs,  and  in  the  dispensary  the  gospel  is 
faithfully  preached  every  day.  One  man  bears 
the  burden  there.  In  the  Persian  Gulf,  on  the 
Bahrein  Islands,  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church 
of  America  has  its  headquarters  of  the  Arabian 
mission.  On  the  coast  they  have  a  few  stations, 
and  they,  like  others,  await  the  time  when, 
by  reason  of  ample  men,  means,  and  support, 
they  will  reach  the  interior.  May  God  speed 
the  time !  These  two  efforts,  with  the  writer's 
own,  is  all  that  at  present  is  being  done  for  the 
evangelization  and  redemption  of  Ishmael. 

The  writer  has  been  the  first  as  a  Christian 
missionary  to  go  any  distance  into  the  country, 
the  account  of  which  succeeding  chapters  will 
detail.  Arabia  needs  at  once, 

The  Pioneer  Missionary, 
The  Medical  Missionary, 
The  Evangelizing  Missionary, 
The  Teaching  Missionary. 

Would  that  some  readers  of  these  pages  might 
give  their  money  to  help  the  missionary  claim 


140         ARABIA  THE  DESERT   OF  THE   SEA 

Arabia  for  Christ,  just  as  readily  as  the  million- 
naires  of  New  York  are  doing  to  fit  out  expedi- 
tions to  find  the  North  Pole  and  get  credit  to 
their  country  for  so  doing ! 

Can  we,  whose  souls  are  lighted 
With  wisdom  from  on  high ; 
Can  we  to  men  benighted 
The  lamp  of  life  deny? 

Judging  from  Arabia,  it  seems  we  can. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

ATTEMPTS     TO     ENTER    ARABIA    END    IN    CAPTURE, 
PRISON,    AND    BROKEN    BONES 

THE  previous  chapter  has  introduced  to 
the  reader  the  country  that  it  was  my 
desire  to  enter  and  open  up  for  future  mission- 
ary operations.  As  the  desire  grew  on  me  the 
difficulties  seemed  to  accumulate,  and  those 
most  interested  in  my  movements  and  work 
strongly  urged  me  not  to  attempt  the  journey 
alone. 

For  many  reasons  a  companion  was  advisable ; 
volunteers  were  called  for,  and  in  response  two 
young  men  offered  their  services,  each  assured 
in  his  mind  that  he  was  called  to  such  an  under- 
taking and  work.  The  funds  necessary  for  such 
a  movement  as  was  anticipated  were  all  pro- 
vided, and  I  waited  for  my  companion.  Months 
passed,  and  one  excuse  after  another  was  made 
for  delaying  the  start.  Eventually  both  volun- 
teers decided  to  abandon  the  project,  one  because 
he  preferred  to  remain  with  his  newly  married 
wife,  and  the  other  lacked  the  faith  and  cour- 

141 


142  ATTEMPT  TO   ENTER   ARABIA 

age  to  set  out  on  such  a  hazardous  journey 
without  the  assurance  of  any  human  help. 
Since  then  I  have  been  thankful  that  the  young 
fellows  did  withdraw,  for  the  following  chapters 
will  tell  what  trials  and  hardships  awaited  us, 
and  the  possibilities  are  that  those  volunteers 
would  have  been  a  hindrance  to  me  rather  than 
a  help. 

Now  the  question  arose:  should  the  proposal 
be  longer  delayed,  or  should  I  set  out  alone  ? 
I  decided  that  I  would  start  alone,  so  set  to 
work  and  in  a  short  time  was  ready.  Scrip- 
tures were  packed,  my  own  few  necessities 
arranged,  drugs  and  clothing  put  in  readiness 
for  immediate  use,  and  lastly  animals  and  men 
hired  to  convey  me  to  the  edge  of  the  desert 
on  the  east  of  Jerusalem.  The  name  of  the 
place  I  was  bound  for,  as  the  first  stage  in  my 
journey,  was  Maan,  a  twin  town  on  the  northern 
edge  of  the  great  Arabian  desert.  From  Jeru- 
salem it  was  about  two  hundred  miles'  distance, 
and  from  that  twin  town  I  felt  sure  I  could  find 
Bedouin,  or  join  a  caravan  that  would  take  me 
over  the  first  stretch  of  desert  that  would  have 
to  be  crossed. 

Toward  the  end  of  1899  I  set  out,  in  com- 
pany with  three  men  known  to  me.  My  cases 
were  loaded  on  two  mules ;  a  third  one  was  at 


ATTEMPT   TO   ENTER   ARABIA  143 

my  disposal  for  riding.  All  went  well  for  four 
days,  and  then  my  progress  was  put  a  stop  to 
in  not  an  unexpected  way.  We  had  reached  a 
large  Arab  encampment  which  was  pitched  on 
the  eastern  border  of  the  vast  plains  of  Moab. 
The  people  had  seen  me  before,  in  fact  I  had 
treated  some  of  them  after  a  severe  battle  with 
an  hostile  tribe,  so  I  had  a  hearty  welcome  and 
was  treated  in  the  best  style  as  an  honored 
guest.  Next  morning  I  was  up  early  and  ready 
for  another  stage  of  my  journey,  but  the  people 
insisted  on  my  spending  the  day  with  them  in 
their  tents,  so  I  consented  to  do  so. 

Some  part  of  that  day  was  passed  in  the  guest- 
tent,  where  many  of  the  men  assembled  to  talk 
and  drink  coffee,  but  they  courteously  agreed 
to  listen  as  I  read  and  spoke  to  them  concern- 
ing the  Saviour  and  their  need  of  His  atone- 
ment. I  found  a  few  men  that  were  able  to 
read,  and  they  accepted  Scriptures  and  tracts 
from  me.  Visiting  in  the  tents  gave  opportu- 
nity to  speak  with  individuals  or  give  a  kind 
word  to  some  of  the  women  busy  about  some  of 
their  many  duties. 

The  evening  came,  and  supper  had  been 
served  and  disposed  of,  and  the  making  of  the 
after-supper  coffee  was  about  to  begin,  when 
the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  on  the  hard  earth, 


144  ATTEMPT  TO   ENTER  ARABIA 

and  the  clanking  of  chains  and  arms,  was  heard. 
The  word  "  soldiers  "  came  from  many  lips,  and 
hardly  had  they  been  uttered  when  six  Turkish 
cavalry  in  charge  of  an  officer  rode  up  in  front 
of  the  long  black  tent.  They  dismounted,  tied 
their  horses  to  the  tent  ropes  or  stakes,  and 
came  into  the  tent.  "  Where  is  that  traveller 
you  have  here  ? "  they  asked  in  sharp  tones, 
and  for  a  moment  received  no  reply  from  my 
astonished  and  frightened  friends,  and  as  I  was 
dressed  in  native  costume  I  was  not  discernible 
among  the  many. 

I  rose  and  went  toward  the  surly  officer,  tell- 
ing him  that  I  was  the  one  he  was  inquiring 
for,  and  asked  him  what  he  wanted.  He  told  me 
that  he  had  been  sent  to  arrest  me  and  take  me 
to  the  Turkish  governor  in  a  place  about  thirty 
miles  distant.  It  was  suggested  by  the  chief 
that  the  soldiers  spend  the  night  in  the  camp, 
but  they  refused.  They  demanded  animals  for 
myself  and  baggage,  which  were  soon  forthcom- 
ing, and  in  a  very  few  minutes  we  were  off,  I 
in  the  midst  of  the  soldiers,  and  the  baggage 
animals  urged  on  by  the  Arabs,  who  unwillingly 
had  been  forced  to  undertake  this  night  march. 
We  rode  for  about  three  hours,  during  which 
little  was  said.  Once  the  surly  official  cursed 
me  and  called  me  a  "  dog,"  because  I  had  been 


ATTEMPT   TO   ENTER   ARABIA  145 

the  cause  of  them  being  sent  post-haste  to 
capture  me.  That  gentleman  said  little  else 
to  me  whilst  in  my  company,  for  he  got  the 
length  of  my  tongue,  and  a  reminder  that  it 
was  neither  politic  nor  advisable  for  him  to  call 
'an  Englishman  a  dog.  He  took  the  scolding 
and  the  warning  meekly,  and  I  hope  became  a 
wiser  and  more  cautious  man ;  if  nothing  else, 
he  certainly  became  a  quieter  one. 

About  ten  o'clock  we  saw  the  flames  of  camp- 
fires  and  soon  alighted  at  the  guest-tent.  The 
people  knew  me  and  were  sorry  to  see  me  a 
prisoner.  They  were  not  slow  to  tell  the 
soldiers  how  I  had  helped  them  in  times  past, 
one  man  giving  visible  proof  by  showing  the 
mark  on  his  arm  where  he  had  been  cut  by  a 
spear  and  I  had  sewn  it  up.  That  night  I 
slept  between  my  captors,  and  early  next  morn- 
ing was  roused  and  escorted  on  the  journey. 
After  about  four  hours  we  reached  the  place 
from  whence  the  soldiers  had  come.  They 
took  me  to  the  government  house  and  delivered 
me  to  the  official  in  charge  there.  He  soon 
found  that  he  had  no  great  catch  in  me,  but 
told  me  that  I  must  return  to  Jerusalem  under 
escort,  as  his  orders  were  that  no  traveller  was 
to  pass  that  way  without  special  permission 
from  Constantinople.  I  stayed  a  week  in  that 


146  ATTEMPT  TO  ENTER  ARABIA 

Arab  city,  disposed  of  most  of  my  books,  and 
then  in  charge  of  three  soldiers  was  sent  to 
Jerusalem. 

The  first  attempt  had  ended  in  seeming 
failure,  but  some  knowledge  and  experience  had 
been  gained,  which  afterward  came  in  useful. 
My  disappointment  was  His  appointment,  and 
was  for  a  wise  purpose. 

Early  the  next  spring  I  set  out  again,  this 
time  in  company  with  a  gentleman  who  for 
geographical  purposes  and  scientific  research 
was  visiting  Edom  and  going  to  Maan.  As 
he  had  government  permission,  we  in  due  time 
reached  the  place  I  had  set  out  for  on  my 
previous  trip,  but  failed  to  reach.  After  a  few 
days  in  Maan  my  friend  returned,  leaving  me 
alone,  with  the  hope  of  soon  proceeding  farther 
east.  Here  too  in  Maan  I  found  men  that 
knew  me  because  of  surgical  or  medical  help 
they  had  received  from  me  years  before  when 
in  Kerak.  No  one  knows  the  value  of  the 
medical  missionary  as  an  agency  for  opening 
up  new  lands ;  this  is  another  instance  among 
others  from  other  lands.  Let  none  lightly 
esteem  the  work  of  the  medical  missionary. 
A  house  was  put  at  my  disposal,  and  my  few 
belongings  and  Scriptures  deposited  therein. 

My  bed  was  a  sack  on  the  hard  floor  and  my 


ATTEMPT  TO  ENTER  ARABIA      147 

only  covering  at  night  my  large  native  cloakc 
For  three  days  all  went  well ;  in  return  for 
Scriptures  I  received  eggs,  bread,  and  fruit,  and 
from  a  spring  near  by  I  drew  my  water  for 
drinking  and  in  it  washed  my  clothes.  Late  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  a  soldier  appeared 
at  the  door  with  an  order  for  me  to  appear  at 
once  before  the  local  governor.  He  was  one 
who  had  taken  a  leading  part  in  the  massacre 
of  the  Armenians  some  time  before,  and  by  the 
Turkish  government  had  been  rewarded  by 
the  post  of  governor  at  Maan.  I  went  to  him, 
and  he  began  to  bully  me  and  ordered  me  to 
leave  the  place  within  an  hour.  I  told  him  I 
was  within  my  rights  in  being  there,  and  pre- 
sented my  Turkish  passport.  He  ridiculed 
that,  and  said,  "  as  he  was  governor  there  he 
could  do  as  he  liked."  He  then  ordered  that 
I  should  be  shut  up  in  a  small  room,  de- 
tained till  morning,  and  then  sent  away  under 
escort.  So  I  was  put  in  safe-keeping  with  two 
others,  and  left  through  the  night.  At  day- 
break two  soldiers  appeared  with  a  mule,  on 
which  were  loaded  my  things.  I  was  ordered 
to  mount,  two  cakes  of  dry  bread  were  given 
me,  and  in  charge  of  two  mounted  men  I  was 
sent  away  from  Maan,  and  so  for  the  second  time 
turned  my  back  on  Arabia,  more  and  more  de- 


148  ATTEMPT   TO   ENTER  ARABIA 

termined  that  I  would  not  be  discouraged  by 
these  seeming  failures. 

Having  tried  the  southern  way  twice  and 
failed  on  both  occasions,  I  determined  to  try 
the  northern  route  and  endeavor  to  join  a 
caravan  going  down  into  Arabia  from  Da- 
mascus. After  a  few  days  at  home  I  made  an- 
other start,  this  time  in  quite  another  direction. 

On  the  fourth  day  out,  as  we  were  slowly 
ascending  a  zigzag  road,  the  horse  in  front  of 
mine  suddenly  commenced  to  kick,  and  before 
I  knew  what  had  happened  I  was  lying  under 
my  horse  on  the  steep  mountain  path,  with  my 
left  leg  broken.  I  lay  there  for  several  hours 
while  a  man  went  back  to  the  nearest  place 
to  secure  a  doctor.  He  arrived,  and  with  my 
leg  tied  to  a  stout  pole  I  was  carried  back 
to  the  doctor's  house.  The  bone  had  been 
badly  splintered,  and  for  weeks  I  lay  without 
any  progress  being  made  toward  the  use  of 
my  leg.  At  length  I  was  carried  home  to 
Jerusalem  and  was  then  informed  that  the 
limb  would  never  be  useable  by  reason  of  the 
bone  being  badly  set.  The  only  hope  for  me 
was  to  go  into  a  hospital,  have  my  leg  opened, 
the  bone  broken  down,  some  taken  out,  and 
the  limb  properly  adjusted.  I  did  as  I  was 
advised  and  in  a  few  weeks  was  able  to  get 


ATTEMPT  TO  ENTER  ARABIA       149 

about  on  crutches,  later  with  the  aid  of  a 
stick,  and  then  to  my  joy  without  any  help  at 
all. 

The  entrance  into  Arabia  was  again  delayed, 
and  sufficient  had  occurred  to  quench  any 
superficial  enthusiasm,  if  such  had  ever  existed, 
which,  however,  in  my  case  had  not.  These 
delays  and  seeming  failures  only  made  me  the 
more  desirous  to  carry  out  what  I  believed  to 
be  a  God-implanted  desire  in  me.  Some  ad- 
vised giving  it  up,  for  surely  Providence  was 
against  me.  But  I  could  not  see  my  way  clear 
to  do  that,  for  was  not  the  EVANGELIZATION  of 
ISHMAEL  and  the  REDEMPTION  of  ARABIA  at 
stake,  and  neither  of  these  could  or  can  be 
accomplished  without  seeming  failures,  disap- 
pointments, and  trials,  all  permitted  by  One  too 
wise  to  err  and  who 

Moves  in  a  mysterious  way 
His  wonders  to  perform. 

The  capture  and  imprisonment  may  have 
been  disappointing  and  humiliating,  and  the 
broken  limb  looked  upon  as  a  bad  job,  but  out 
of  all  came  blessing  in  the  way  of  experience, 
information,  larger  faith,  an  extended  vision, 
and,  to  crown  all,  the  success  that  many  had 
prayed  for  and  believed  in,  although  long 


150  ATTEMPT  TO   ENTER   ARABIA 

delayed.  The  sweets  were  all  the  sweeter,  and 
the  joys  more  appreciated,  because  of  what  had 
been  experienced  before  they  were  realized. 
My  next  will  tell  of  better  days  and  my  arrival 
'on  the  edge  of  the  desert. 


A  CHRISTIAN    WOMAN   OF   MOAB 

This  woman  is  a  resident  of  Kerak,  the  capital  of  Moab,  and  is  a  member  of  the  chief 
family  there.  Compare  her  with  the  three  women  opposite  page  i  so  and  the  difference 
made  by  Christianity  is  very  apparent.  Her  family  is  famous  among  the  Arabs  for  their 
hospitality,  and  this  woman  and  her  husband  always  entertain  Mr.  Forder  during  h;s  visits 
to  their  city,  in  return  for  services  rendered  during  a  long  ^in*;e  pf  SittoesV  and  trouble. 


CHAPTER  XV 

I 

A   FOURTH  VENTURE  BRINGS  ME  TO  THE  DESERT'S 
EDGE 

PREVIOUS  failures  had  not  discouraged 
me  sufficiently  to  make  me  give  up  the 
idea  of  reaching  the  district  and  town  of  the 
Jowf,  the  most  important  and  largest  town  in 
Northern  Arabia.  Although  difficulties,  dan- 
gers, and  hindrances  had  come  and  might  still 
be  expected,  to  have  anticipated  them  would 
only  have  led  to  discouragement.  Many  of  my 
friends  thought  that  God's  time  had  come  for 
another  attempt  to  be  made  to  reach  some  part 
of  the  regions  beyond  Moab  and  Edom.  We 
had  hoped  that  a  travelling  companion  would 
even  then  have  been  forthcoming,  but  no  vol- 
unteer was  on  hand.  Accordingly,  with  some 
reluctance,  our  little  community  had  to  let  me 
go  alone.  On  Thursday  morning,  the  thirteenth 
day  of  December,  1900,  a  few  friends  came 
to  our  home  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  prayer  we 
committed  each  other  to  God's  keeping,  not 
knowing  how  long  it  would  be  before  we 


152  A  FOURTH   VENTURE 

should  thus  gather  round  the  Mercy-seat  again. 
Meanwhile  two  packhorses  were  being  loaded 
outside. 

Four  cases  of  Arabic  Scriptures,  tracts,  and 
leaflets,  the  most  limited  quantity  of  bare  neces- 
sities for  the  anticipated  journey,  and  one  man 
to  accompany  me  the  first  few  days  of  my 
journey  made  up  the  advance  party  and  equip- 
ment of  the  first  missionary  journey  into  Ara- 
bia from  the  north. 

A  few  friends  went  with  me  a  little  way,  and 
the  time  came  to  say  the  final  "  Good-by." 
It  was  easy  enough  to  bid  farewell  to  the 
grown-ups,  but  the  last  straw  came  from  my 
little  four-year-old,  when,  on  stooping  down  to 
kiss  him,  he  said,  in  his  childish  voice,  "  Will 
you  be  long,  Dadda?  "  It  was  a  question  that 
none  could  answer.  The  future  was  only 
known  to  God.  Jumping  on  top  of  one  of 
the  loads,  I  got  away,  wondering  when  I 
should  see  those  same  kind  and  praying  friends 
again,  and  pondering,  as  I  rode  along,  what 
would  be  the  outcome  of  this  quiet,  simple, 
and  inexpensive  movement  toward  the  land 
and  birthplace  of  the  great  antagonist  of  Chris- 
tianity, the  religion  of  Islam. 

Calvary,  outside  the  wall,  and  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  on  the  east,  were  soon  left  behind  ;  a  last 


PHOTOGRAPH  BY  A.  FORDER 


CALVARY,    OUTSIDE   THE   WALL 

The  hill  on  the  left  side  is  Golgotha,  i.  e.,  the  place  ot  a  skull.  On  the  right  is  the  north 
wall  of  Jerusalem.  The  road  leads  to  Jericho,  and  was  traversed  by  Mr.  Forder  when 
attempting  to  enter  Arabia. 


OLD   TOWER  AND    CASTLE   AT   SULKHUD 

These  ancient  remains  of  the  stone  age  are  on  the  edge  of  the  <ie-e"t,; southeast  ot  Damas- 
cus. How  Mr.  Forder  passed  this  place  in  the  fog  is  told  on  page  i  64.  \  /Turkish  obstruc- 
tion hinders  modern  travelers  from  visiting  these  interesting  ruins.  - 


A   FOURTH   VENTURE  153 

look  at  Jerusalem  from  the  Bethany  road,  and 
then  the  quiet  little  village  itself  was  passed,  with 
its  screaming  children  clamoring  for  "back- 
sheesh."  Down  into  the  valley,  and  on  as  far 
as  the  Good  Samaritan's  Inn,  where  a  drink  of 
water  was  begged  from  the  lonely  occupant  of 
that  venerable  hostel,  who  ekes  out  an  exis- 
tence by  selling  a  few  drinks  and  providing 
hasty  cups  of  coffee  for  passers-by.  Soon  we 
reached  Jericho  and  were  accommodated  by  the 
kind-hearted  keeper  of  the  Jordan  Hotel.  Here 
I  met  that  cordial  friend  of  travellers  to  the 
Holy  Land,  the  Hon.  Selah  Merill,  U.S. 
Consul  at  Jerusalem,  who,  with  his  two  sisters, 
were  seeking  a  short  time  of  rest  and  refresh- 
ment in  the  cool  and  quiet  of  Jericho.  Early 
next  morning  we  were  off  again  and  pursued 
our  way  over  the  plains  of  Jordan,  crossed  the 
swiftly  flowing  river,  on  over  the  plains,  and  up 
into  the  mountains  of  Gilead.  Toward  even- 
ing we  came  to  a  Circassian  settlement  at  the 
head  of  the  Wady  Seir.  In  vain  we  tried  to 
get  a  shelter  from  the  threatening  storm.  But 
the  Circassian  in  those  parts  has  no  love  for 
the  stranger,  and  we  were  driven  from  door  to 
door,  until  we  decided  to  spend  the  night  in 
the  open,  even  if  it  involved  sitting  up  and 
watching  all  night. 


154  A   FOURTH   VENTURE 

On  the  outskirts  of  the  village  we  met  a 
woman  who  shouted  at  us  in  a  very  unceremo- 
nious style,  "  Where  are  you  going  at  this  time 
of  the  day ;  it  is  now  sunset,  and  the  night  is 
near."  We  replied,  "  We  have  tried  to  find  a 
guest-room,  but  no  place  is  open  to  us."  Her 
reply  was,  "  My  house  is  open  to  all  comers ; 
turn  aside,  and  spend  the  night  with  us." 

So,  accepting  her  invitation  and  obeying  her 
order  to  follow  her,  we  soon  found  ourselves 
lodged  in  her  limited  space  styled  a  house. 
We  soon  found  that  we  were  not  the  only 
occupants  of  those  four  walls.  One  corner 
contained  not  only  our  two  horses,  but  the 
owner's  possession  in  the  way  of  live  stock  — 
a  mule,  two  donkeys,  a  yoke  of  oxen,  some  sheep 
and  goats,  and  the  usual  crowd  of  cocks  and 
hens.  Add  to  this  our  host  and  hostess,  four 
small  dirty  children,  and  the  circle  was  com- 
plete. It  is  needless  to  make  mention  of  the 
innumerable  company  of  jumpers,  who,  by  their 
persistent  efforts  at  feasting,  kept  me  reminded 
of  their  presence. 

Supper  of  bread  and  fried  eggs  was  served, 
apologies  made  for  the  absence  of  coffee,  and 
then  we  settled  down  for  a  talk,  which  I  soon 
turned  into  a  religious  direction.  Introducing 
the  Book,  we  spent  a  time  in  reading  and  speak- 


A  FOURTH   VENTURE  155 

ing  of  Salvation,  much  to  the  interest,  and,  I 
trust,  lasting  good,  of  these  simple  people. 
Tired  out,  we  lay  on  the  mud  floor,  wrapped  up 
in  our  native  cloaks,  and  tried  to  get  rest,  but  it 
was  difficult.  Early  next  morning  we  were 
about.  The  good  woman  kindly  offered  us  a 
batch  of  bread,  if  we  would  wait  whilst  she 
baked  it,  which  we  did. 

The  next  two  days  led  us  to  Es-Salt — Ra- 
moth-Gilead  —  and  Gerash,  and  on  to  Edrei  in 
Bashan.  On  the  way  I  met  some  of  my  Kerak 
friends  returning  from  Damascus,  where  they 
had  been  compelled  to  go,  carrying  goods  for 
the  Turkish  Government.  The  next  day,  our 
sixth  out,  dawned  cloudy  and  windy,  but  hop- 
ing for  fair  weather,  we  set  out.  We  had  been 
going  for  about  four  hours,  with  our  faces  set 
against  a  cold  east  wind,  when  it  began  to  rain, 
then  hail,  and  soon  we  were  drenched.  We 
could  see  far  ahead  of  us  the  only  place  of 
shelter,  that  being  the  old  town  of  Bosrah,  one 
of  the  giant  cities  of  Bashan,  with  its  massive 
castle  and  interesting  ruins.  Our  intention 
had  been  to  evade  this  place,  and  so  escape  the 
possibilities  of  being  captured  by  the  Turkish 
officials  and  sent  home  under  escort,  as  on 
former  occasions  in  the  south.  However,  as 
the  storm  continued,  we  were  forced  to  enter 


156  A  FOURTH   VENTURE 

the  town.  We  decided  to  seek  the  shelter  of 
some  guest-room  in  the  quarter  of  the  town 
farthest  away  from  the  castle  in  which  the 
soldiers  and  officers  were  quartered.  But  man 
proposes  and  God  disposes,  to  show  that  He 
can  and  will  deliver.  We  entered  the  town  on 
the  north  side,  clambering  over  ruined  houses 
and  tumbled-down  walls.  We  tried  the  first 
house  we  came  to,  only  to  find  the  guest-room 
full  to  overflowing.  We  walked  up  and  down 
the  narrow,  muddy  streets,  hoping  to  find 
shelter,  but  the  same  answer  came  from  every 
door:  "The  sudden  storm  has  filled  the  guest- 
room; you  must  seek  elsewhere."  One  man 
told  us  he  had  just  come  from  the  house  of  the 
governor,  and  that  his  large  guest-room  was 
empty.  We  turned  away  again,  and  were  lead- 
ing our  beasts  along  a  narrow  street,  when  we 
came  face  to  face  with  a  man  whose  dress 
proclaimed  him  an  official.  He  stopped  and 
asked  us  who  we  were,  where  we  were  from, 
where  we  were  going,  to  all  of  which  we  gave 
answers.  On  hearing  we  were  looking  for 
shelter,  he  said,  "  Come  with  me ;  I  will  find 
you  and  your  animals  shelter  at  the  governor's 
house."  We  could  say  or  do  nothing,  but  just 
obey  and  follow.  In  a  few  minutes  we  entered 
the  large  courtyard  of  the  head  man,  and  stood 


A  FOURTH  VENTURE  157 

at  the  guest-room  door.  The  servants  —  in  the 
absence  of  the  master  —  greeted  us,  and  carried 
our  belongings  into  the  large  room.  Our  horses 
were  taken  off  to  the  stable.  A  large  wood 
fire  was  burning  on  the  floor  in  the  middle  of  the 
room.  We  sat  down  and  warmed  ourselves  at 
the  fire,  thankful  for  the  shelter  from  the  cold 
and  rain  outside.  The  official  that  had  brought 
us  to  the  place  had  gone  away  and  left  us.  I 
engaged  the  few  men  in  conversation,  and  was 
glad  to  learn  that  the  governor  was  not  a 
Turk,  but  an  Arab  and  of  local  descent.  This 
was  encouraging,  as  I  might  look  for  better 
treatment  from  such  a  one  than  from  an  out- 
sider. After  a  time  the  official  returned,  clad 
in  full  uniform,  with  his  sword  on,  as  his  sign 
of  authority.  He  said  to  me,  "  My  business  as 
inspector  is  to  examine  all  cases  and  goods  that 
are  brought  into  this  place;  get  up  and  open 
your  boxes,  so  that  I  may  see  what  they  con- 
tain." My  reply  was  short,  but  to  him  bitter, 
"Never;  this  is  no  custom-house."  He  tried 
first  by  persuasion,  then  by  threats,  to  get  me 
to  open  up  my  baggage.  But  I  had  one  reply  — 
"  No."  At  last  he  said,  "  If  you  will  not  open 
them,  I  will."  I  said,  "  Go  ahead  then,  when 
you  like."  I  had  told  him  what  they  contained, 
but  he  said  I  lied.  "  You  have  guns  and  pow- 


158  A   FOURTH   VENTURE 

der  with  which  to  arm  the  Arabs  and  get  them 
to  rise  against  the  Government,"  he  said.  He 
was,  however,  too  wise  a  man  to  touch  my 
belongings,  and  he  again  tried  persuasion.  At 
last  I  said,  "  I  will  only  open  my  goods  for  your 
inspection  on  two  conditions.  First,  that  you 
bring  from  the  British  Consul,  also  the  Turkish 
governor  in  Damascus  —  three  days'  journey 
distant  —  written  orders  that  I  must  do  so  ;  or, 
secondly,  that  you  accompany  me  to  Damascus, 
and,  in  the  presence  of  the  British  Consul,  if 
he  so  orders,  I  will  open  for  your  inspection." 
With  this  he  went  away,  saying  he  was  going 
off  to  see  the  head  man.  After  we  had  supped, 
the  head  man  came  to  sit  with  us.  He  asked 
many  questions,  which  I  answered.  He  re- 
quested my  Turkish  passport,  which  I  pro- 
duced. After  examining  it,  he  handed  it  back, 
saying  it  was  all  right.  He  then  told  me  that 
according  to  orders  from  the  Government  no 
Europeans  were  allowed  in  those  parts,  and  he 
had  orders  to  send  back  under  escort  all  that 
came  along.  "  But,"  he  said,  "  as  you  seem  to 
be  almost  an  Arab,  and  are  going  to  Damascus, 
may  God  go  writh  you  and  give  you  peace." 
iHe  little  knew  or  thought  what  a  long  time  it 
*would  be,  or  what  a  long  way  round  I  was 
/going  to  get  to  Damascus.  We  settled  down 


A   FOURTH   VENTURE  159 

to  a  talk.  I  told  him  about  the  officious  in- 
spector, and  he  told  me  not  to  mind  him. 
With  this  he  came  in,  and  asked  to  be  given 
permission  by  the  head  man  —  my  host  —  to 
open  my  luggage.  He  got  this  reply :  "  To- 
night this  man  is  my  guest,  and  as  such  you 
must  not  touch  him  or  his  belongings  whilst 
under  my  roof.  In  the  morning,  when  he 
leaves  me,  you  can  do  as  you  like,  but  under 
my  protection  he  or  his  must  not  be  interfered 
with ;  we  respect  and  protect  all  who  come 
under  our  roofs."  With  this  he  went  away, 
and  I  saw  no  more  of  him.  I  then  introduced 
the  New  Testament,  and  we  sat  until  past  ten 
o'clock  reading  and  speaking  about  Jesus.  On 
leaving  me  to  go  to  his  own  apartments  he 
accepted  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  in 
Arabic. 

Next  day  dawned  dull  and  misty.  We  de- 
cided to  make  a  start,  hoping  for  finer  weather. 
When  we  got  outside  the  town  and  turned  our 
faces  east,  in  which  direction  we  were  going, 
we  could  see  in  front  of  us  the  old,  but  very 
prominent,  castle  of  Sulkhud,  away  some  twenty- 
five  miles  distant.  It  was  our  wish  to  get  be- 
yond that  place  and  spend  the  night  in  Orman, 
a  large  Druze  settlement,  where  I  was  to  give 
up  my  man  and  horses  and  let  them  return  to 


160  A  FOURTH   VENTURE 

Jerusalem.  Our  way  lay  over  a  wide,  level 
plain,  the  road,  a  small  worn  path,  ofttimes  dif- 
ficult to  follow  because  of  the  stony  nature  of 
the  ground.  About  noon  we  reached  a  little 
village  called  El-Ghusm,  through  the  midst  of 
which  we  had  to  pass.  I  saw  some  very  old 
and  interesting  doors  here,  solid  slabs  of  basalt, 
turning  on  hinges  that  were  a  part  of  the  stone, 
and  let  into  sockets.  I  was  fortunate  in  getting 
a  good  picture  of  these  stone  doors.  After  leav- 
ing this  place  the  sky  clouded  over,  and  another 
storm  came  on.  The  wind,  rain,  and  hail  made 
it  impossible  for  us  to  hold  up  our  heads  and  look 
ahead ;  our  horses  turned  against  it  and  got  off 
the  track,  and  soon  we  discovered  we  had 
lost  the  way.  My  compass  told  me  we  were 
going  south  instead  of  east.  Turning  in  the 
latter  direction  we  tried  again,  but  all  to  no 
purpose.  For  hours  we  persevered,  but  seemed 
to  get  no  further  on.  A  mist  had  risen,  enough 
to  cover  from  our  view  the  old  castle  by  which 
we  had  to  pass.  We  were  cold  and  wet,  and 
began  to  think  we  might  have  to  spend  the 
night  in  the  open,  for  evening  was  drawing  on. 
Presently,  Mohammed,  my  man,  saw  smoke 
rising  away  in  the  distance.  How  gladly  we 
hailed  it,  and  jumping  off  our  animals,  led  them 
in  the  direction  that  it  was  to  be  seen.  We 


PHOTOGRAP-    Bl 

STONE    DOORS,    BASHAN 


A  FOURTH   VENTURE  l6l 

found  it  going  up  from  a  small  hamlet  of  about 
thirty  houses.  We  rode  up  to  the  door  of  the 
first  one  we  came  to,  and  received  a  hearty 
"  Welcome  "  from  the  men  inside.  We  would 
not  have  chosen  the  place  for  its  beauty  or 
cleanliness,  but  because  of  our  condition  and 
the  elements,  we  were  glad  to  avail  ourselves 
of  the  accommodation.  Our  things  were  carried 
in  and  huddled  up  in  a  corner.  We  were  offered 
seats  on  some  old  mats  -round  the  fireplace. 
Some  fuel,  in  the  shape  of  dried  manure,  was 
brought,  and  an  attempt  at  making  a  fire  made, 
but  it  resulted  in  more  smoke  than  flame  or 
heat,  and  I  was  made  to  weep  bitter  tears  from 
smarting  eyes. 

Some  bread  was  brought  us,  and  a  kind  of 
molasses  called  "  dibs,"  in  which  we  dipped  the 
former.  Hunger  made  it  welcome  and  enjoy- 
able. On  asking  where  we  were,  we  found  that 
we  were  about  two  hours  off  the  track,  and 
some  two-and-a-half  hours'  ride  from  the  castle. 
My  idea  had  been  to  pass  the  castle  about  dusk, 
so  as  possibly  to  escape  the  notice  of  the  Turk- 
ish soldiery  that  were  stationed  there.  But 
again  my  plans  were  put  away  in  order  that  I 
might  learn  by  experience  that  if  I  "  commit 
my  way  unto  the  Lord,  trust  also  in  Him,  He 
will  bring  it  to  pass." 


1 62  A   FOURTH   VENTURE 

This  I  learned  on  the  morrow. 

After  supper  the  men  of  the  hamlet  in  which 
we  were,  and  which  was  named  Moonaythree, 
gathered  in  to  talk  and  sip  coffee  with  us.  My 
business  was  soon  disclosed,  and  I  introduced 
Bibles  and  gospels.  Some  of  the  men  could 
read,  and,  to  my  surprise,  intelligently.  They 
bought  some  books  from  me,  paying  for  them 
in  kind  —  dried  figs,  flour,  or  eggs.  When 
the  time  came  for  sleep,  clad  in  another  man's 
clothes,  —  because  my  own  were  too  wet  and 
were  hung  up  to  dry  in  the  smoke,  —  I  curled 
up  on  the  hard  floor,  and  in  spite  of  small 
company,  cold,  and  draughts  was  soon  wrapped 
in  Nature's  sweet  restorer,  "  balmy  sleep."  The 
reader  will  gather  from  these  records  that  pio- 
neer mission  work  is  not  the  easiest  or  most 
conducive  to  comfort.  Let  the  reader  of  these 
pages  take  up  the  privilege  of  daily  remember- 
ing at  the  Throne  of  Grace  those  who  represent 
the  home-section  of  the  Church  by  going  into 
new  fields  and  among  new  peoples,  so  that  all 
may  at  least  know  of  a  Saviour  from  sin. 
Next  morning  I  was  accosted  by  a  man  that 
had  been  driven  in  by  the  storm  and  had 
lodged  in  a  house  near  by.  He  had  heard 
about  the  books  I  had,  and  wanted  some  to  take 
to  his  town  some  distance  away  northeast.  To 


A   FOURTH   VENTURE  163 

him  I  disposed  of  eight  copies  —  six  Testaments 
and  two  Bibles  —  also  giving  him  an  assortment 
of  tracts  and  leaflets.  I  heard  about  these  some 
months  later  on,  that  they  were  well  received 
and  were  being  read  with  much  interest.  As 
the  morning  was  fine,  we  did  not  stay  long;  so, 
getting  directions  how  to  regain  the  track,  we 
started. 

Coming  up  out  of  the  depression  in  which 
we  had  passed  the  night,  we  saw  ahead  of  us 
the  old  castle,  our  landmark  of  yesterday.  I 
was  almost  certain  if  only  we  could  get  beyond 
the  castle,  no  more  hindrances  from  the  Govern- 
ment might  be  looked  for,  because  beyond  that 
place  they  exerted  very  little  power.  But  the 
thing  was  to  pass  unobserved,  and  as  the  path 
passed  close  under  the  castle  it  seemed  impossi- 
ble to  get  by  unnoticed.  We  could  see  the 
soldiers  moving  about  on  the  castle  walls,  and 
as  we  drew  nearer  the  north  side,  the  sentry  on 
guard  was  very  prominent.  My  man  quite  lost 
heart  and  made  up  his  mind  to  be  taken  and 
sent  back.  I  tried  to  encourage  him  by  re- 
minding him  how  we  had  escaped  detention  at 
Bosrah,  and  told  him  that  God  would  help  us. 
When  we  got  quite  near  to  the  hill  leading  up 
to  the  castle,  a  thick  fog  came  on,  quite  an  un- 
usual thing  in  those  parts,  and  under  cover  of 


1 64  A   FOURTH   VENTURE 

the  fog  we  rode  on  until  we  came  to  several 
paths  leading  in  different  directions.  Had  it 
been  clear,  I  could  easily  have  found  my  way, 
having  gone  over  the  country  once  before. 
We  took  the  wrong  path  and  soon  lost  the 
way,  but  could  not  right  ourselves  because  of 
the  dense  fog.  I  said  to  Mohammed,  "  If  only 
the  fog  would  open  for  a  moment  and  let  me 
see  the  castle,  I  should  know  where  we  were 
and  how  to  steer."  No  sooner  had  I  said  the 
words  than  the  fog  divided  for  a  moment,  but 
sufficient  for  me  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
castle,  which  I  recognized  as  the  northeast 
angle.  Getting  off  my  horse,  I  led  him  back 
and  soon  found  the  track  again.  Through  that 
dense  fog  we  walked,  passed  and  saluted  the 
sentry,  but  did  not  see  him,  on  past  the  govern- 
or's house,  and  out  on  to  the  open  ground  be- 
yond the  castle  and  town.  Five  minutes  after 
passing  these  the  fog  disappeared,  the  sun 
shone  brightly,  and  we  saw  behind  us  the  castle 
and  house  that  sheltered  the  representatives  of 
a  Government  opposed  to  all  Christian  move- 
ments for  the  spread  of  the  gospel. 

I  recognized  in  this  second  marked  deliver- 
ance the  hand  of  God,  and  was  encouraged  to 
go  on,  believing  that  God  would  prosper  this 
simple  movement  toward  Arabia.  One  hour 


A  FOURTH   VENTURE  165 

after  passing  this  place  we  reached  the  large 
Druze  town  of  Orman,  situated  on  the  edge  of 
the  sandy  plains  that  lead  away  toward  the 
Jowf.  This  was  the  first  stage  of  our  journey, 
and  although  some  parts  of  it  had  been  rough, 
yet  I  felt  that  the  good  hand  of  God  had  been 
on  me,  and  I  had  the  assurance  that  the  next 
stage  of  the  journey  would  be  accomplished  in 
His  own  way  and  time. 

We  put  up  in  a  large  guest-room  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town.  My  hosts  consisted  of  three 
brothers,  all  of  whom  treated  me  kindly.  I 
proved  here  the  truth  of  the  Arab  proverb, 
"  Mountain  can  never  meet  mountain,  but  man 
may  meet  man."  One  of  the  brothers  knew 
me,  having  met  me  in  Damascus  two  years  be- 
fore. My  things  were  stowed  away  out  of 
sight,  and  I  was  given  to  understand  that  I  was 
to  be  quite  at  home.  So  on  the  2Oth  of 
December  I  took  up  my  quarters  among  these 
strange  people,  the  Druzes,  with  their  secret 
religion.  Early  next  morning  Mohammed  left 
me,  taking  with  him  the  horses.  He  begged 
me  to  return  to  Jerusalem  with  him,  remind- 
ing me  of  the  danger  and  hardships  I  should 
have  to  endure  if  I  went  any  farther.  After  he 
had  gone  I  felt  that  another  cord  had  been 
severed  that  was  likely  to  have  kept  me  from 


1 66  A  FOURTH   VENTURE 

the  desire  of  many  years.  I  was  sorely  tempted 
to  give  way  and  return,  but  the  thought  of  the 
promises  in  Psalm  cxxi  settled  the  matter.  I 
had  no  idea  what  the  future  would  reveal ;  that 
we  must  leave  for  the  next  chapter. 


DRUZE   CHIEFS 

The  Druzes  live  southeast  of  Damascus.  They  have  a  secret  religion,  and  worship  at 
night.  In  manners  and  customs  they  are  like  the  Bedouin;  their  white  turbans  distinguish 
them  from  the  Arabs.  These  two  entertained  Mr.  Forder  when  going  to  Arabia. 


GETTING   READY  TO   MOVE   HOUSE 

The  Bedouin  move  every  few  days.  The  work  of  pulling  down  and  setting  up  the  tents 
is  done  by  the  women.  _  Notice  the  baby  slung  on  a  tripod  whilst  the  mother  is  preparing 
to  move.  Early  morning  is  the  time  generally  chosen  to  move  camp. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

BETWEEN      DRUZE     AND     ARAB     I     GET     INTO     THE 
DESERT 

A  PROLONGED  stay  at  Orman  gave  me 
a  good  opportunity  for  mission  work 
among  a  people  that,  to  my  knowledge,  had 
never  been  visited  before.  One  thing  is  certain, 
no  copy  of  the  Scriptures  had  been  taken 
there,  or  if  so,  had  been  lost  sight  of.  My  first 
few  days  were  spent  in  visiting  among  the 
people  in  their  homes.  I  inquired  for  the 
Scriptures,  but  found  no  trace  of  them.  I  had 
daily  opportunity  for  speaking  with  the  people 
about  salvation  and  the  Saviour. 

After  supper,  two  hours  were  generally  spent 
with  the  guests  that  had  come  in  to  spend  the 
night.  The  best  attention  was  given  to  all  I 
said,  and  these  evening  gatherings  ofttimes  re- 
sulted in  the  sale  of  a  few  gospels  or  Bibles. 
These  were  carried  away  to  different  places  by 
the  owners  as  they  went  to  their  homes  next 
day.  In  Orman  itself  I  left  about  forty  copies 
of  the  New  Testament  —  many  of  them  were 
bought  by  big  boys  that  were  able  to  read 

167 


1 68  I  GET   INTO  THE   DESERT 

quite  well.  Some  kind  friend  had  sent  me 
from  England,  some  time  before,  fifty  copies  of 
the  life  of  Joseph  and  the  gospel  of  John 
bound  together ;  these  I  found  very  useful  and 
most  acceptable  among  these  people.  One  day 
I  entered  a  house  and  found,  sitting  on  the 
floor  near  the  fire,  an  old  Greek  Priest.  I  en- 
gaged him  in  conversation,  and  soon  found  that 
he  was,  like  hundreds  of  others  in  a  like  capac- 
ity, entirely  ignorant  of  salvation  by  faith  in 
Christ;  he  also  told  me  he  had  never  had  a 
Bible.  He  could  read  well,  so  having  with  me 
a  few  extra  good  quality  of  binding  Arabic 
Bibles,  given  by  friends  in  America,  I  offered 
him  one.  He  very  reluctantly  accepted  it, 
thinking  that  such  good  fortune  was  not  for 
him.  The  same  day  I  saw  him  ride  off  to  the 
village  he  lived  and  officiated  in,  with  his 
newly  acquired  present  wrapped  in  a  handker- 
chief, and  stored  away  in  his  bosom.  The 
days  spent  in  Orman  were  unpleasant  and 
comfortless.  Most  of  the  time  it  rained  or 
snowed,  causing  deep  mud  and  slush.  The 
only  fuel  was  dried  manure.  I  much  preferred 
to  endure  the  cold  rather  than  the  thick,  stink- 
ing smoke  that  issued  from  the  smouldering 
mass  on  the  floor  in  the  middle  of  the  room. 
At  night  I  had  to  lie  on  the  hard  floor,  with 


I   GET   INTO   THE  DESERT  169 

only  a  straw  mat  under  me.  A  covering  was 
given  me  that  was  full  of  vermin,  so  that  it  is 
needless  to  say  I  did  not  use  it  after  the  first 
night.  The  people  were  very  kind  in  asking 
me  to  their  homes  to  a  meal,  generally  made  of 
large  white  peas,  boiled,  and  then  well  covered 
with  oil  or  strong  fat  melted  down.  These 
meals,  always  served  hot,  were  very  acceptable 
and  helped  to  warm  me,  and  I  was  very  thank- 
ful to  God  for  such  a  provision.  There  being 
no  shops,  I  was  unable  to  buy  any  food,  and  the 
Arabs  will  rarely  sell  food  to  a  stranger.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  Christmas  Day  I  spent  in  that 
place.  Heavy  snow  had  fallen,  followed  by  rain, 
which  turned  the  whole  place  into  a  mud  pond. 
It  was  also  very  cold,  and  as  no  fuel  was  to  be 
had  because  of  the  snow  and  rain,  I  had  to  sit 
about  all  day  enduring  the  cold  and  damp.  The 
roofs  of  the  houses  being  only  mud,  it  is  an  easy 
matter  for  the  rain  to  penetrate  and  come  through 
into  the  house.  Such  was  the  case  this  Christ- 
mas Day.  The  rain  was  dripping  through  in 
some  eight  places,  and  it  was  a  difficult  matter 
to  find  a  dry  spot  even  in  the  house.  Soon  after 
my  advent  into  Orman,  I  began  asking  questions 
as  to  the  possibility  of  getting  to  the  next  place 
I  wanted  to  reach  —  a  spot  marked  on  the  map 
as  Kaf. 


170  I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT 

I  gathered  it  was  some  six  days'  journey  away 
southeast,  and  the  country  between  was  waterless 
and  very  dangerous  to  travel  over  because  of 
roving  bands  of  Arabs  that  were  always  on  the 
lookout  for  passers-by.  The  people  in  Orman 
were  not  much  acquainted  with  the  name  Kaf. 
I  found  in  common,  everyday  talk  they  always 
used  the  word  "  Kurrey-ya-tayn,"  which  means 
"  two  villages,"  or  ofttimes  they  spoke  of  them 
as  "  Deree-el-milh,"  that  meaning  the  "  salt  dis- 
trict," as  the  work  of  the  Arabs  there  was  that 
of  salt-gathering,  which  they  sold  to  the  people 
who  organized  caravans  for  the  purpose  of  get- 
ting this  everyday  commodity.  When  I  made 
known  the  fact  that  I  wanted  to  visit  the  settle- 
ment of  Kaf,  the  people  shook  their  heads  and 
said,  "  Don't  go ;  the  Arabs  there  are  a  bad  lot ; 
when  we  go  there,  in  large  parties,  we  never  let 
the  rifles  out  of  our  hands."  As  I  was  importu- 
nate, my  host  said  he  would  try  and  find  me  a 
Bedouin  that  would  take  me  to  Kaf.  From 
time  to  time  such  desert  rangers  came  into 
Orman,  and  for  money  could  be  induced  to 
conduct  travellers  over  the  sands.  As  they 
knew  fairly  well  the  whereabouts  of  the  Arabs, 
they  were  the  best  suited  to  guide  one  in  safety 
to  Kaf.  Two  or  three  such  men  were  found, 
but  on  being  told  that  the  intended  traveller 


I   GET   INTO  THE   DESERT  171 

was  a  Christian,  they  at  once  said  they  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  such  people,  as  their 
religion  made  them  the  enemies  of  God  and  of 
the  followers  of  Mohammed.  It  was  soon  very 
evident  that  I  must  wait  a  long  time  to  find  a 
Bedouin  willing  to  take  me,  so  I  requested  my 
host  to  undertake  for  me.  He  gave  me  many 
fair  promises,  but  kept  none  of  them.  After  all 
attempts  had  failed,  and  it  seemed  unlikely  that 
I  should  get  on,  I  one  day  stated  my  case  to  the 
sheikh  —  chief  man  —  of  the  place,  and  asked 
him  to  help  me.  He  was  a  very  nice,  fatherly 
old  man,  and  set  about  advising  me  not  to  go. 
Again  I  had  brought  before  me  the  dangers  of 
the  desert,  the  fatigue,  and  the  possibilities  of 
death  from  thirst  or  the  fanaticism  of  the 
Arabs  of  Kaf. 

I  told  the  sheikh  I  was  willing  to  face  all  that, 
and  as  I  was  trusting  God  to  protect  and  keep 
me,  I  believed  He  would  do  so.  Promising 
to  free  the  chief  from  all  responsibility  if  he 
would  help  me  to  get  away,  he  at  last  said  he 
would  make  arrangements  for  me  to  go  on  the 
morrow.  I  went  back  to  my  lodging,  repacked 
my  books  and  few  belongings,  and  sewed  some 
of  my  money  into  the  waistband  of  my  trousers, 
giving  the  remainder  to  my  host  to  keep  for  me 
until  my  return  at  some  unknown  future  date. 


1/2  I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT 

Money  given  like  this,  as  a  trust,  is  quite  safe, 
even  in  a  stranger's  keeping.  Next  morning 
I  went  to  the  sheikh.  He  began  to  make 
excuses  for  not  being  ready  to  start  me,  went 
over  all  I  had  heard  before,  and  again  he  tried 
to  persuade  me  to  give  up  the  journey.  I  re- 
minded him  of  his  promise,  and  told  him  that 
as  a  sheikh  I  looked  to  him  to  keep  his  word, 
not  break  it.  This  put  him  on  his  mettle. 
He  called  a  man  and  told  him  to  get  a  camel, 
load  up  my  things,  letting  me  ride  on  top,  and 
take  me  out  and  hand  me  over  to  the  owner  of 
the  first  Arab  tent  we  came  to.  The  order  was 
soon  obeyed,  and  we  rode  off. 

We  went  until  sunset,  but  found  no  tents, 
spent  the  night  out,  and  early  next  morning 
started  again.  In  the  afternoon  we  saw  a  few 
tents  away  in  the  distance,  and  went  to  them. 
Our  reception  was  not  a  very  hearty  one,  and  I 
saw  I  was  not  very  welcome.  We  were  asked  in, 
and  my  things  were  carried  in  and  piled  up  one 
on  the  other.  The  man  that  had  come  with  me 
told  the  men  in  the  tent  where  I  wanted  to  go ; 
they  received  the  news  very  sullenly.  Then  he 
said  he  would  return  to  Orman.  But  I  felt  con- 
strained to  ask  him  to  stay  the  night  with  me, 
and  it  was  well  he  did.  We  had  supper,  all  sit- 
ting round  the  same  dish,  and  used  our  fingers 


I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT  173 

in  place  of  spoons.  Being  very  tired,  I  was  soon 
asleep,  not  waking  until  morning,  and  was  then 
roused  by  finding  the  heavy  tent-cloth  down  on 
me.  I  crawled  out  from  underneath,  and  saw 
the  women  pulling  down  the  tent  previous  to 
moving.  I  asked  them  why  they  were  doing 
this  so  early  in  the  day.  Their  reply  was, 
"  The  men  have  ordered  that  we  move  to  an- 
other place;  they  fear  to  give  shelter  to  a 
Christian,  one  that  is  unclean,  and  would  cause 
trouble  to  come  on  us.  Soon  the  tent  and  their 
household  goods  were  loaded  up,  the  cocks  and 
hens  tied  on  top  of  the  load.  The  few  sheep 
and  goats  had  been  led  off  early  in  the  morning. 
The  little  nomad  community  were  soon  off, 
leaving  my  companion  of  the  previous  day  and 
myself  standing  there  alone.  He  suggested 
that  he  should  ride  the  camel  and  go  and  look 
for  more  tents  and  return  again  to  me.  I  was 
to  stay  and  watch  over  the  luggage.  I  ob- 
jected, as  I  knew  that  if  once  he  got  away  on 
the  camel  it  was  very  doubtful  if  I  should  ever 
see  him  again.  So  I  said,  "  Leave  the  camel 
with  me,  whilst  you  go  and  look  for  more 
Arabs."  He  consented,  and  went  off,  leaving 
me  about  seven  in  the  morning.  Noon  came, 
and  he  did  not  return,  and  I  waited  until 
nearly  four  in  the  afternoon,  and  was  begin- 


174  I   GET  INTO  THE   DESERT 

ning  to  think  he  had  really  left  me,  when  I 
saw  him  coming.  He  had  found  one  tent  near 
by,  and  had  spent  the  day  with  the  men,  talk- 
ing, eating,  and  sipping  coffee,  not  caring 
about  me  out  under  the  hot  sun,  hungry  and 
thirsty.  Again  we  loaded,  and  set  off  for  the 
tent,  reaching  it  in  about  an  hour.  I  sat  down 
and  ate  some  bread,  and  was  glad  to  gather 
from  the  conversation  of  the  men  that  a  large 
caravan  was  expected  to  pass  that  night,  on 
its  way  to  Kaf ;  it  was  going  to  get  salt.  After 
supper  we  talked,  and  settled  that  if  possible  I 
should  join  the  caravan,  and  so  reach  Kaf  with 
it.  It  was  full  moon ;  we  were  sitting  round 
the  fire  in  the  tent  door,  when  a  man  came  in 
and  said  he  could  hear  the  bells  of  the  camels, 
and  it  was  the  caravan. 

Quickly  my  things  were  loaded  on  a  camel. 
I  jumped  on  top,  and  my  new  host  led  off  into 
the  desert.  By  the  light  of  the  moon  I  could 
see  coming  toward  us  a  great  dark  mass :  that 
was  the  caravan.  We  went  for  about  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  and  then  stopped  to  await  the 
arrival  of  the  caravan.  Soon  some  Arabs  on 
horses  galloped  up  to  us,  shouting  to  us,  "  Who 
are  you  ?  What  do  you  want  ?  "  Their  ques- 
tions were  soon  answered.  Then  came  the 
first  part  of  the  great  company,  made  up  of 


I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT  175 

about  four  hundred  camels;  they  passed  us; 
then  a  second,  then  a  third,  and  then  the  last 
part.  Each  section  was  guarded  by  about  fifty 
horsemen,  armed  with  long  spears,  rifles, 
swords,  and  revolvers. 

As  they  passed  us,  the  man  with  me  kept 
shouting  out  the  names  of  men  he  thought 
likely  to  be  in  the  company.  The  first  three 
sections  of  that  great  caravan,  made  up  of  six- 
teen hundred  camels,  passed,  and  no  one  an- 
swered the  call  of  my  man.  In  the  last  part, 
however,  some  men  were  found,  and  with  a 
hasty  explanation  as  to  who  I  was  and  where 
I  wanted  to  go,  my  baggage  and  self  were  trans- 
ferred to  another  camel,  and  I  was  soon  in  full 
swing  with  that  moving  mass,  on  my  way  to 
Kaf.  No  terms  had  been  made  as  to  payment 
for  the  animal  I  was  on,  or  any  arrangement 
made  about  food  and  water.  I  joined  the 
caravan  at  quarter  to  nine  in  the  evening,  and 
was  supposed  to  be  four  and  a  half  days'  jour- 
ney from  Kaf.  As  we  rode  along  I  got  into 
conversation  with  some  of  the  men  near  me. 
They  told  me  we  were  to  make  the  journey 
in  easy  stages,  because  the  camels,  being 
loaded  with  wheat  and  barley  that  was  to  be 
bartered  for  salt  and  dates,  could  not  travel 
long  distances  without  resting.  But  I  soon 


176  I  GET  INTO  THE  DESERT 

found  that  they  were  only  telling  me  lies,  so 
that,  as  they  said  when  I  told  them  afterward, 
"  I  should  not  ride  with  a  heavy  heart."  We 
rode  all  that  night,  until  half-past  six  the  next 
morning,  when  a  halt  was  made.  "  If  you 
want  to  sleep,  do  so,"  they  said,  "  for  we  only 
rest  two  hours."  I  lay  down  on  the  sand, 
covered  myself  with  my  native  cloak,  and  was 
soon  fast  asleep.  But  I  was  roused  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  and  told  to  "  Get  up,  the  caravan  is 
off."  And  so  it  was ;  they  were  nearly  all  gone, 
and,  jumping  on  my  camel  again,  we  soon 
followed,  just  twenty  minutes  after  we  had  put 
down. 

On  and  on  we  went,  never  stopping  until 
half-past  five  in  the  afternoon.  The  camels 
were  made  to  kneel  down,  and  rumor  said  we 
should  rest  for  hours.  As  the  men  were  about 
to  remove  the  loads  a  cry  was  raised  that  Arabs 
were  near. 

Looking  up,  I  saw  on  some  high  ground 
overlooking  us  some  mounted  men — about  ten. 
Some  of  our  horsemen  jumped  on  their  horses 
and  made  off.  The  newcomers  galloped  away. 
Our  men,  although  riding  as  hard  as  they  could, 
fired  their  rifles  after  the  pursued;  one  was  hit 
in  the  arm,  causing  him  to  drop  his  spear.  I 
had  mounted  a  hill  near  at  hand  and  watched 


I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT  177 

them.  Our  men  were  gaining  on  the  others, 
and  soon  came  up  with  them.  Being  outnum- 
bered, they  threw  down  their  arms.  They 
were  from  a  large  tribe  that  were  camped 
about  a  mile  away.  Our  men  made  them  re- 
turn with  them.  The  order  was  given  to  load 
and  start,  and  just  fifteen  minutes  after  putting 
down  we  were  on  the  move  again.  A  man 
thrust  some  hard  bread  into  my  hand  as  we 
moved  off,  and  I  nibbled  at  it  as  I  rode  along. 
The  captured  Arabs  were  made  to  go  with  us, 
and  were  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  caravan. 
This  was  to  prevent  them  from  returning  to 
their  camp  and  calling  others,  who  might  have 
harassed  the  caravan  all  night.  We  rode  on 
through  that  night.  As  the  sand  was  hard  in 
those  parts  I  walked  a  good  bit  of  the  way,  for 
two  reasons  —  to  keep  awake,  and  to  keep 
warm.  The  day  dawned,  but  no  halt  was  made. 
The  captured  Arabs  were  allowed  to  return,  as 
there  was  now  nothing  to  fear  from  them  or 
their  people.  The  sun  rose,  but  on  we  went. 
About  ten  o'clock  some  of  the  men  called  to 
me,  "  Look  !  see  the  palms,  they  belong  to  Kaf  ; 
we  shall  soon  be  there." 

About  eleven  o'clock  we  rode  into  the  place, 
and  in  the  square  formed  by  the  houses  the 
camels  were  made  to  kneel  down,  were  un- 


178  I   GET   INTO   THE   DESERT 

loaded,  and  given  food.  We  had  ridden  for 
thirty-eight  hours  with  only  half  an  hour's  stop. 
The  return  journey  was  made  in  six  days. 
It  is  needless  to  say  I  was  tired,  thirsty,  and 
hungry,  but  the  thought  of  really  having  got  to 
Kaf  —  the  desire  of  years  realized  —  made  me 
forget  the  fatigue  of  the  journey  in  the  joy  of 
being  there.  I  left  the  hubbub  of  the  square 
and  went  off  to  the  palm  gardens  near  by  and 
jumped  for  joy,  then  sang  the  Doxology,  and 
afterward  gave  thanks  to  my  Heavenly  Father 
for  the  fulfilment  of  the  promises  I  had  trusted 
in,  as  written  in  the  I2ist  Psalm.  I  then  went 
to  a  spring  of  warm  sulphur  water  and  had  a 
wash,  then  returned  to  the  men  in  the  square. 
They  took  me  into  a  small  mud  house  near  by, 
the  owner  of  which  was  known  to  them.  A 
large  tray  of  dates  was  brought  in  and  we  ate 
as  many  as  we  could ;  then,  being  tired  after  our 
long  and  hurried  ride,  I  lay  down  on  the  floor, 
put  my  head  on  my  saddle-bags,  and  was  soon 
asleep.  When  I  awoke  it  was  nearly  five 
o'clock,  and  the  sun  was  getting  low.  I  went 
outside  and  found  some  of  the  men  I  knew. 
One  of  them  said  to  me,  "  Come,  I  will  take 
you  to  the  chief's  house,  and  ask  him  to  care 
for  you."  I  went  with  him  to  the  adjoining 
village.  He  was  sitting  outside  with  a  lot  of 


CARAVAN  RESTING  AFTER  A  JOURNEY 

Thic  «Vinw-  th-  camels  with  their  heavy  loads  oft",  after  a  continuous  journey  of  thirty- 
Sht  houre  across™!  desert  The  heavy  saddles  are  rarely  removed.  The  Arabs  fear 
the  camels  wm  get  cold  if  too  much  air  is  allowed,  for  the  beast  is  very  susceptible  to  cold. 


THE   CHIEF   OF  KAF 

This  man  sho.vaJ  great  kindness  to  Mr.  Forder  during  his  stay  with  him.  The  Arabs 
he  rules  over  tnink  much  of  him  becaase  of  his  bravery.  Kaf,  where  he  lives,  is  a  twin  town 
hidden  in  the  mi  1st  of  beautiful  palm  groves. 


I   GET   INTO  THE  DESERT  179 

men,  but  rose  and  came  forward  to  greet 
me.  On  being  told  about  me,  he  said  it  would 
be  best  if  all  my  things  were  brought  and  put 
in  his  guest-room,  and  I  might  lodge  there. 
He  called  a  boy,  told  him  to  take  a  donkey,  and 
go  and  bring  my  things  over.  Just  then  I  heard 
a  gun  go  off,  and  found  it  was  the  signal  for  the 
caravan  to  load  up  and  start  on  its  return 
journey.  The  men  I  had  travelled  down  with 
came  to  bid  me  farewell,  and  persuade  me  to 
go  back  with  them.  "Why  will  you  stay  with 
these  cursed  people  ?  "  they  asked  me.  "  They 
will  surely  kill  you,  because  you  are  a  Chris- 
tian." At  last  they  left  me,  and  I  saw  the 
caravan  go  away.  I  watched  it  as  it  slowly  dis- 
appeared over  the  sand-hills,  and  was  sorely 
tempted  to  go  after  it,  but  grace  and  help  was 
given  to  overcome  the  temptation,  and  I  went 
back  to  the  chief's  house.  Never  shall  I  for- 
get the  feeling  of  loneliness  that  came  over 
me  as  I  made  my  way  back  to  that  room. 
Everybody  about  me  strangers  —  not  only  na- 
tionally, but  religiously,  and,  as  I  well  knew, 
of  a  kind  not  favorable  to  Christians.  The 
thought  that  I  was  the  only  Christian  in  the 
whole  district  was  one  that  I  cannot  well 
describe. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

A    KIND    CHIEF    BUT    UNKIND    SUBJECTS 

KAF  is  a  large  village  in  two  sections,  and 
is  divided  one  from  the  other  by  palm 
groves.  The  dwellings  are  built  of  mud  bricks, 
and  so  arranged  as  to  serve  well  for  defence  in 
case  of  attack  from  outside,  whilst  the  front  of 
the  houses  face  on  to  a  large  square.  In  this 
square  all  the  business  done  by  caravans  is  car- 
ried on,  and  during  the  stay  of  one  of  the  cara- 
vans the  scene  is  a  busy  as  well  as  a  noisy  one. 
Traders  come  from  Syria,  bringing  with  them 
wheat  and  barley,  which  they  exchange  for 
coarse  salt.  The  Kafees  get  this  salt  by 
evaporating  strong  brine,  of  which  there  are 
numerous  never  failing  springs  quite  near  the 
place.  Kaf  has  an  abundant  supply  of  water : 
some  of  the  springs  are  sulphuric  and  quite 
warm ;  these  are  used  for  medicinal  purposes. 
During  a  large  portion  of  the  year  the  people 
migrate  into  the  deserts,  only  returning  to  their 
homes  in  the  village  for  the  date  harvest,  a 

1 80 


A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT  UNKIND  SUBJECTS     181 

time  equal  to  the  grain  harvest  in  other  parts. 
The  women  are  not  secluded,  neither  do  they 
veil  their  faces,  but  do  not  sit  with  the  men. 
They  have  their  liberty,  and  in  this  respect  are 
better  off  than  thousands  in  other  parts  of  the 
Mohammedan  world. 

The  palm  trees  and  extensive  groves  of  Kaf 
pleased  me  immensely,  and  I  passed  many  hours 
in  them  in  company  with  some  of  the  men  who 
were  kindly  disposed  toward  me.  On  one  side 
of  the  village  is  a  high  mountain,  most  of  the 
stone  as  black  as  ink.  On  the  top,  which  has 
been  levelled,  are  the  remains  of  what  was  once 
an  extensive  castle  and  fort.  Much  against  the 
wishes  of  the  people,  I  climbed  the  mountain 
and  explored  the  ruins,  but  was  not  allowed  to 
make  notes  or  take  photographs.  As  I  passed, 
the  men  of  Kaf  gathered  in  groups ;  the  only 
word  I  heard  was  "Nisraney"  —  Christian  —  one 
of  the  cursed  ones,  the  enemy  of  God  and  all 
Moslems.  Not  having  been  so  exiled  among 
such  isolated  followers  of  Mohammed,  I  was 
not  quite  sure  what  treatment  I  might  expect 
from  them.  On  reaching  the  chiefs  room,  I 
found  him  and  some  men  there.  Supper  was 
brought  in,  served  up  in  a  large  iron  pot.  I  ate 
my  share,  not  knowing  what  it  was,  and  even 
now  have  no  notion  off  what  I  supped.  All 


1 82     A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

I  know  is,  that  it  was  very  hot,  slimy,  greasy, 
and  tasty,  the  latter  making  it  appetizing. 

After  supper  we  sat  round  the  open  fire  on 
the  hearth,  and  coffee-making  began.  The 
green  berries  are  roasted  over  the  fire,  then 
pounded  in  a  large  wooden  mortar.  When 
sufficiently  fine,  the  coffee  is  put  in  boiling 
water,  and  allowed  to  filter  to  the  bottom  of 
the  pot ;  then  boiled  up  quickly  for  a  few  min- 
utes, and  set  aside  to  settle.  Sometimes,  if 
guests  are  on  hand,  spices  are  bruised  and  put 
in  to  flavor  the  coffee.  Having  stood  a  few 
minutes,  a  small  quantity,  say  about  a  table- 
spoonful,  is  poured  into  a  handleless  cup  and 
handed  round,  the  chief  tasting  it  first  and  then 
the  guests.  About  four  ounces  of  coffee  is  put 
to  a  pint  of  water.  This  makes  a  very  strong 
and  black  beverage,  and  it  is  drunk  without  milk 
or  sugar.  A  man's  generosity  is  judged  by 
the  quantity  of  coffee  he  gives  his  guests.  A 
favorite  way  of  speaking  about  a  good  host  is 
to  say  "  the  coffee-pot  is  never  off  the  fire." 
Coffee  is  the  only  luxury  these  Arabs  have ; 
intoxicants  have  not  yet  reached  them,  and 
they  have  no  native-made  drinks  that  take  the 
place  of  alcoholic  liquors  —  long  may  they  re- 
main in  such  a  state ! 

Whilst  coffee  was  proceeding,  we  were  talk- 


A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS      183 

ing  about  the  possibilities  of  my  getting  farther 
into  the  country.  Opinions  were  divided ; 
some  thought  I  could  go  safely,  others  said 
there  was  much  danger,  besides  hardship  and 
fatigue.  The  chief  advised  my  return  to 
Orman,  but  saw  no  way  of  sending  me  back. 
Then  a  man  came  in  and  said  a  party  of  Arabs 
had  arrived,  that  were  leaving  early  in  the  morn- 
ing for  Jowf,  a  large  town  some  eleven  days' 
journey  southeast.  I  had  intended,  if  my  way 
was  prospered,  to  reach  this  town,  it  being  the 
largest  and  most  important  in  Northern  Arabia, 
and  I  may  mention  here  that  Kaf,  the  place  I 
was  then  in,  was  under  the  government  of  Ibn 
Rasheed,  the  Sultan  of  Arabia,  resident  in 
Hayel.  The  chief,  whose  name  was  Moham- 
med-el-Bady,  sent  for  the  man  in  charge  of  the 
caravan.  He  soon  came,  and  was  told  that  I 
wanted  to  go  with  them  to  the  Jowf.  Would 
they  provide  me  a  camel  and  let  me  journey 
with  them  ?  The  man  at  once  saw  I  was  a 
Christian,  and  gave  his  answer.  "  If  I  took  a 
Christian  to  the  Jowf,  I  am  afraid  Johar  —  the 
chief  there  —  would  have  me  killed  for  doing 
such  a  thing,  so  I  cannot  do  it." 

Other  men  were  called  in,  but  all  gave  nearly 
the  same  answer.  One  said  to  me,  "  If  ever  you 
want  to  see  the  Jowf,  you  must  turn  Moslem,  as 


1 84     A  KIND   CHIEF  BUT  UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

no  Christian  would  be  allowed  to  live  there  many 
days."  This  was  somewhat  discouraging,  but 
the  chief  told  me  to  "keep  my  heart  strong" 
and  we  would  try  again  in  the  morning  before 
they  started.  Then  the  matter  dropped,  and  I 
introduced  the  Bible.  A  man  present,  being  a 
good  reader,  took  the  Book  and  began  to  read. 
I  found  him  the  third  chapter  of  John's  gospel, 
and  as  he  read  a  verse  I  would  speak  on  it.  I 
ofttimes  get  a  man  to  read  for  me  so  that  those 
listening  may  believe  that  what  they  hear  is 
really  written  in  the  book  they  see.  Arabs 
have  said  that  I  have  made  up  some  of  the 
things  that  I  have  read  to  them,  but  one  of 
their  own  number  reading  does  away  with  that 
foolish  idea.  The  men  that  were  gathered  in 
were  most  attentive  to  all  I  said.  It  was  some- 
thing quite  new  to  them. 

They  asked  me  lots  of  questions  about  the 
religion  and  customs  of  the  Christians,  pitied 
us  because  we  could  only  have  one  wife  at  a 
time  and  because  we  had  no  date-palms  in  our 
country.  Before  separating  for  the  night,  the 
man  that  had  been  reading  for  us  asked  me  to 
give  him  a  Bible.  I  told  him  he  must  buy  it. 
He  said  he  could  pay  for  it  in  dates  if  I  would 
take  payment  that  way.  I  agreed:  so  next 
morning  he  brought  me  some  dates  and  took 


A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT  UNKIND   SUBJECTS     185 

away  his  book ;  this  led  to  the  sale  of  eight  or 
nine  other  copies,  either  Psalms  and  Luke 
bound  together,  or  Genesis  and  John.  I  was  up 
early  in  the  morning  and  out  with  the  sheikh, 
who  did  his  best  to  get  the  men  that  were 
leaving  to  take  me  along  with  them,  but  they 
were  firm  in  their  refusals.  So  I  had  to  see 
them  load  up  and  leave,  feeling  that  the  possi- 
bility of  getting  on  was  a  very  poor  one.  That 
day  I  spent  in  the  homes  and  gardens  of  the 
people.  They  treated  me  in  a  kindly  way,  but 
it  was  spoilt  by  their  continual  hard  sayings 
against  me  as  a  Christian.  That  same  evening 
another  party  of  men  called  in  at  Kaf  to  stay 
the  night.  In  vain  my  host  tried  to  induce 
them  to  take  me  on,  but  the  same  excuse  as 
the  previous  night  was  made.  I  saw  them 
leave  next  morning  and  wondered  if  ever  I 
should  get  away.  After  they  had  gone,  Mo- 
hammed, my  host,  came  to  me  and  said,  "  As 
no  one  will  take  you  with  them  I  will  go  with 
you  to  the  next  place,  named  Ithera,  and  per- 
haps from  there  you  can  get  on  to  the  Jowf." 
About  noon  he  called  one  of  his  servants  to 
bring  in  a  camel  and  his  horse,  and  we  were  to 
make  a  start.  The  things  being  loaded  on  the 
camel,  I  got  on  top,  he  mounted  his  horse,  and 
we  were  just  riding  out  of  the  gate  that  led 


1 86     A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

into  the  town  when  we  met  about  twelve  men 
mounted  on  camels.  They  were  chiefs  from  a 
tribe  camped  near  by,  and  had  come  to  visit 
my  host.  So  we  turned  back,  and  I  had  the 
choice  of  waiting  another  few  days,  or  being 
sent  on  in  charge  of  two  young  men,  servants 
of  the  chief.  I  chose  the  latter;  they  mounted 
the  camel,  and  I  was  given  the  horse  to  ride. 
We  rode  off  again,  and  about  sunset  saw  in  the 
distance  the  palms  of  Ithera,  just  about  four 
hours'  ride  between  the  two  places.  I  noticed 
the  two  men  ofttimes  got  off  the  camel,  and  twice 
made  it  kneel  down  as  if  to  adjust  the  load,  but 
I  found  out  later  on  that  they  had  rifled  my 
belongings  and  had  buried  them  in  the  sand. 

When  I  returned,  nearly  three  months  after, 
the  sheikh  of  Kaf  handed  me  the  things  the 
two  men  had  robbed  me  of.  They  had  told 
their  townspeople  how  they  had  treated  me, 
and  the  chief,  hearing  of  it,  made  them  give  him 
my  things  and  gave  them  a  good  thrashing  for 
their  treatment  of  me,  his  late  guest. 

Ithera  is  a  much  smaller  place  than  Kaf  and 
has  its  own  chief.  The  population  would  be 
from  six  to  eight  hundred  all  told.  The  place, 
like  others  in  Jebel  Shomer,  is  built  of  mud 
brick  and  surrounded  with  palm  groves.  A 
good  spring  in  the  centre  of  the  village  sup- 


A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS     187 

plies  drinking  water  for  man  and  beast.  All 
the  houses  consist  of  one  large  room,  many  of 
them  doorless  and  quite  bare  of  furniture.  I 
noticed  and  thoroughly  examined  a  large  ruin, 
now  in  the  middle  of  the  place ;  it  was  built  of 
large  blocks  of  stone,  roughly  hewn  and  black 
in  color.  I  concluded  that  it  was  at  one  time 
a  guard-house,  as  there  was  ample  accommoda- 
tion for  man  and  beast.  Some  of  the  chambers 
in  the  ruin  have  been  turned  into  dwellings  and 
storehouses  and  are  more  substantial  than  the 
more  modern  structures.  Here  too  I  noticed 
that  the  women  were  quite  free  and  went  un- 
veiled. 

The  guest-room  of  the  chief  of  Ithera  was 
quite  near  the  principal  entrance  to  the  place. 
We  rode  up  to  the  door  of  the  simple  room, 
and  I,  with  my  few  belongings,  was  put  down  at 
the  entrance.  The  younger  of  the  two  men 
that  had  come  over  with  me  from  Kaf  went 
into  the  room  and  shouted  to  all  the  men  sit- 
ting round,  "  We  have  brought  a  Christian  and 
stick  him  on  to  you ;  do  what  you  can  with 
him."  In  this  manner  I  was  deposited  in 
Ithera,  and  delivered  to  no  one  in  particular. 
According  to  custom,  the  chief  should  have 
been  sought  out  and  I  handed  over  to  him  per- 
sonally. As  it  was,  no  one  was  responsible  for 


1 88     A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT  UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

me.  I  carried  my  goods  inside  and  put  them 
in  a  corner.  There  was  no  salutation  of  wel- 
come, and  no  one  made  room  for  me.  I  was 
left  standing  just  inside  the  doorway.  It  was 
a  very  large  place,  about  thirty  feet  long  and 
fifteen  wide.  The  doorway  was  in  one  of  the 
side  walls.  It  was  as  usual  very  void  of  com- 
forts. The  floor  was  strewn  with  sand,  on 
which  the  men,  about  thirty  in  number,  were 
squatting.  A  black  man  with  piercing  eyes 
and  face  like  a  demon  sat  at  the  coffee,  pour- 
ing it  out  and  handing  it  round.  The  chamber 
was  put  to  two  uses.  The  part  on  the  right 
hand  of  the  doorway  was  set  apart  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  men  and  visitors;  that 
on  the  left  side  was  used  as  a  stable,  and  was 
abominably  dirty.  There  were  some  horses 
and  camels  tied  up  there  that  belonged  to  some 
Arabs  of  the  Beni  Sakhr  tribe,  that  had  come 
in  to  transact  business  and  were  to  stay  the 
night.  As  I  stood  in  the  entrance  awaiting  an 
invitation  to  join  the  men,  I  heard  them  specu- 
lating as  to  who  or  what  I  was.  They  no 
doubt  thought  that  I  did  not  know  Arabic  and 
so  could  not  understand  what  they  were  talking 
about.  A  man  sitting  near  me  informed  the 
others  that  I  was  a  Christian  from  Jerusalem 
and  was  to  be  shunned,  because  he  had  visited 


A   TEMPORARY  HOSPITAL   IN   THE   DESERT 

To  this  tent  the  author  was  sent  to  keep  company  with  an  old  man  suffering  from  a  very 
loathsome  disease.  The  Arabs  hoped  Mr.  Forder  would  catch  the  disease  and  die,  and 
so  they  would  be  saved  the  trouble  of  killing  him. 


MRS.    KHY-KHAN,   THE    CHIEF'S   WIFE 

This  woman  is  preparing  the  morning  meal.      Bread  is  baking  on  a  hot  sheet  of  iron.     Mr. 
Forder  was  kindly  treated  by  this  woman  during  his  enforced  stay  in  her  town.     The  Ic 
of  surprise  was  caused  by  her  interest  in  the  camera. 


A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT  UNKIND   SUBJECTS     189 

that  city  and  had  seen  the  Christians  there  — 
not  Protestants  —  worshipping  pictures  and 
images.  This,  unfortunately,  is  all  too  true, 
and  can  be  seen  in  any  of  the  churches  belong- 
ing to  the  Eastern  sects  representing  Christi- 
anity. A  man  sitting  in  another  part  of  the 
assembly  differed  from  the  first  speaker,  and 
volunteered  the  information  that  "  I  was  not  a 
Christian,  but  one  from  among  the  Jews."  But 
a  third  thought  he  knew  better,  and  speaking 
in  a  loud  voice  said,  "  This  is  neither  a  Chris- 
tian or  Jew,  but  one  from  among  the  heathen, 
an  infidel,  one  that  knows  not  God,  nor  his 
apostle  Mohammed,  on  whom  be  peace."— This 
information,  however,  did  not  satisfy  the  whole 
company,  evident  by  one  man,  who,  with  more 
boldness  than  the  others,  rose  and  said,  "  This 
is  neither  Christian,  Jew,  nor  infidel,  but  a 

Pig." 

All  that  know  anything  about  Mohammedans 

will  know  that  this  was  the  greatest  insult  pos- 
sible to  offer  any  one.  To  call  a  man  a  dog  is 
bad  enough,  and  sufficient  to  cause  lifelong 
enmity,  but  to  liken  one  to  a  pig  would  be  be- 
yond forgiveness,  and  possibly  result  in  death. 
Having  given  vent  to  his  ideas  about  me,  the 
speaker  left  the  place,  maybe  from  fear  of  what 
he  had  said,  and  in  came  the  chief  man  of  the 


IQO     A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

place.  He  heard  the  last  words  of  the  dis- 
appearing speaker,  and  also  what  I  had  ventured 
to  say  in  reply  to  criticisms  about  me.  I  just 
said,  "  Men,  I  am  neither  pig,  infidel,  nor  Jew ;  I 
am  a  Christian,  one  that  worships  God,  the  same 
God  as  you  do,  but  not  of  those  Christians  who 
bow  down  to  and  worship  pictures  and  images ; 
as  there  are  four  fingers  on  your  hands,  each 
one  different  from  the  other,  so  there  are  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  Christians."  The  old  sheikh 
then  addressed  me,  saying,  "  If  you  are  a  Chris- 
tian, go  and  sit  among  the  cattle."  I  did  as  I 
was  told,  and  went  and  sat  on  the  ground  be- 
tween a  camel  and  an  old  white  mare. 

I  had  not  been  sitting  long  when  in  came  a 
man,  by  whose  dress  I  knew  must  be  a  stranger. 
He  soon  proved  it  by  walking  over  to  me,  put- 
ting out  his  hand,  and  shaking  mine.  Never  in 
my  life  was  a  proffered  hand  more  acceptable 
than  that.  It  spoke  in  a  very  assuring  way  of 
sympathy,  pity,  and  comfort.  He  sat  down 
beside  me,  and  then  followed  this  short,  but  to 
me  instructive,  conversation  in  an  undertone  :  — 

Stranger.  —  Who  are  you  and  from  where 
do  you  come  ? 

Answer.  —  From  Jerusalem.  I  am  a  Chris- 
tian, a  preacher. 

Stranger.  —  What  do  you  want  here  ? 


A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS      191 

Answer.  —  I  am  come  to  see  the  land,  people, 
towns,  villages,  and  have  with  me  books  for 
sale. 

Stranger.  —  If  you  value  your  life,  you  will 
get  out  of  this  as  quickly  as  you  can,  or  the 
men,  who  are  a  bad  lot,  will  kill  you. 

Question. — What  kind  of  a  man  is  the  chief? 

Stranger.  —  Very  kind,  and  has  great  influ- 
ence ;  makes  much  of  his  guests. 

Question.  —  Who  are  you  and  what  do  you 
do  here  ? 

Stranger.  —  I  am  a  Druze,  and  have  the  only 
shop  here.  I  am  allowed  to  remain  because  I 
pretend  to  be  a  Moslem. 

With  this  he  got  up  and  went  away,  and  I 
saw  him  no  more  during  my  short  stay  there. 
I  then  pricked  up  my  ears  to  hear  what  the 
men  at  the  far  end  of  the  room  were  saying.  I 
heard  them  discussing  with  the  chief  plans  for 
getting  rid  of  me ;  one  man  offered  to  cut  my 
throat  whilst  I  was  sleeping  that  night.  But 
the  old  chief  said,  "  I  will  not  have  the  blood 
of  a  Christian  on  my  house  and  town."  An- 
other suggested  that  the  supper  that  was  given 
me  should  be  poisoned;  that  would  save  them 
killing  me,  as  I  should  die  in  my  sleep ;  then  I 
could  be  buried,  and  if  any  one  from  my  people 
or  Government  came  looking  for  me,  —  as  they 


IQ2     A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

would,  —  my  grave  could  be  shown,  and,  if  nec- 
essary, my  body,  but  no  marks  would  be  seen  to 
show  that  I  had  been  done  away  with.  To 
this,  however,  the  chief  objected,  and  it  was 
suggested  that  I  be  driven  out  into  the  desert 
to  die  of  hunger  and  thirst.  It  was  at  last 
settled  that  I  be  left  until  the  morning,  and  the 
old  chief  said,  "Lest  any  harm  come  to  our 
beasts  by  having  a  Christian  with  them,  he  had 
better  spend  the  night  in  the  gardens  under  the 
palms."  Then  supper  was  brought  in,  and,  after 
all  the  others  had  supped,  I  was  called  to  eat. 
I  sat  down  by  the  large  round  bowl,  and,  being 
hungry,  ate  and  enjoyed  an  unknown  mixture, 
conveying  it  to  my  mouth  with  my  fingers  in 
place  of  spoon  or  fork,  things  evidently  un- 
known in  those  parts.  Having  seen  the  others 
partake  of  the  same  food,  I  knew  there  was  no 
harm  in  the  dish.  Then  I  was  called  to  follow 
the  chief,  and  he  led  me  out  into  the  gardens 
quite  near  by.  I  sat  down  under  a  large  palm 
tree  and  prepared  to  spend  the  night  in  the 
open.  After  half  an  hour  the  chief  came  back 
again,  saying,  "  I  fear  if  you  stay  here  you  will 
affect  the  palms  in  some  way,  and  my  crop  of 
dates  will  fail  this  year;  come  with  me."  He 
led  off,  and  I  followed  him.  It  was  nearly 
dark.  We  got  outside  the  walls  of  the  place, 


A   KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS      193 

and  he  showed  me  a  solitary  tent  near  by,  under 
the  shadow  of  some  old  walls.  "  Go  in  there 
and  stay,"  said  he ;  and  I  did  so.  Inside  this 
tent  I  found  there  was  an  old  man  suffering 
from  a  very  loathsome  disease,  much  like  lep- 
rosy; he  was  in  a  bad  state,  and  was  most 
repulsive.  He  told  me  he  could  no  longer  be 
tolerated  inside  the  village,  so  had  been  isolated 
until  death  relieved  him  from  his  sad  state.  I 
felt  if  ever  there  had  been  a  time  that  I  needed 
courage  and  help,  it  was  now.  I  had,  by  oft 
reading,  learned  by  heart  the  i2ist  Psalm,  and 
I  laid  claim  to  verse  7  as  never  before.  The 
next  morning  I  was  up  early,  and  awaited  the 
events  of  the  day.  No  one  came  near.  I  had  no 
idea  where  my  things  were.  All  I  had  was  my 
pocket  Bible,  and  all  I  could  read  in  it  was  the 
Psalm  I  have  just  named,  viz.  121.  Toward 
noon  I  saw  a  few  men  with  the  old  chief, 
whose  name  was  Khy-Khwan,  crossing  over  in 
front  of  the  tent.  I  followed  them  unobserved. 
They  sat  down  and  began  to  talk,  not  knowing 
I  was  near  and  listening  to  all  they  were  say- 
ing. I  gathered  from  their  conversation  three 
things :  — 

ist.  That  a  caravan  was  to  be  made  up  to 
leave  for  the  Jowf  on  the  following  Friday  — 
this  was  Wednesday. 


194     A  KIND   CHIEF  BUT  UNKIND  SUBJECTS 

2d.  That  the  old  chief  himself  was  to  con- 
duct the  caravan. 

3d.  That  the  two  parties  I  had  seen  leave 
the  last  town,  Kaf,  had  both  for  some  cause  or 
other  been  delayed,  and  were  to  join  the  cara- 
van leaving  on  the  Friday. 

These  things  made  me  glad,  and  I  determined 
to  face  the  chief  about  them.  The  men  having 
gone  away,  I  followed  Khy-Khwan  and  spoke 
to  him  thus :  "  You  are  going  to  the  Jowf ;  will 
you  take  me  with  you  ?  "  He  gazed  at  me  in 
wonderment.  Said  he,  "  You  will  never  leave 
here  alive,  and  if  you  did  and  reached  the  Jowf, 
you  would  surely  be  killed.  This  is  the  land 
of  the  Moslem  ;  no  Christians  come  here ;  you 
are  our  enemy  and  the  enemy  of  God."  I 
replied,  "  I  will  pay  you  to  take  me  with  you, 
and  am  ready  to  face  the  Jowf  with  its  dan- 
gers." His  answer  was :  "  Do  you  know  how 
far  it  is  to  the  Jowf?  It  is  ten  days'  journey. 
The  desert  journey,  the  dangers  from  robbers, 
hunger,  thirst,  and  fatigue  will  kill  you."  Again 
telling  him  I  was  prepared  for  all  that  and  had 
no  fear,  I  asked  him,  "  How  much  do  you  want 
to  take  me — for  the  ten  days'  journey  there 
and  back  again,  provide  me  a  camel,  food,  and 
water  for  the  journey,  and  help  me  all  you  can 
whilst  we  stay  in  the  Jowf?  " 


A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS     195 

His  answer  was  short  and  decided,  "  Two 
English  pounds  a  day,  equal  to  ten  dollars  — 
ten  days  going,  ten  returning,  and  a  stay  of 
fifteen,  making  thirty-five  days  —  put  me  down 
seventy  gold  pieces,  English  ones,  and  I  will 
take  you."  I  told  him  it  was  impossible,  that  it 
was  more  money  than  I  had  ;  he  must  ask  less. 
"  If  you  can't  give  it,  go  back  to  your  place," 
he  said  ;  so  I  returned  to  the  isolated  tent.  I 
was  strongly  impressed  that  it  was  God's  order- 
ing that  I  had  come  to  Ithera  just  when  I  did. 
To  find  a  man  like  Khy-Khwan  just  about 
starting  to  conduct  a  caravan  to  the  Jowf  was 
most  providential,  as  was  the  fact  that  the  dif- 
ferent parties  I  had  seen  leave  Kaf  had  been 
delayed  here  in  Ithera.  I  felt  it  was  the  time 
to  act,  so  on  returning  to  the  tent  I  sat  down 
to  pray  and  meditate.  I  was  led  to  make  an 
offer  of  money  to  the  chief,  but  not  as  large  a 
sum  as  he  expected.  I  had  a  few  Napoleons  — 
French  gold  pieces,  value  four  dollars  each  — 
sewed  into  the  band  of  my  trousers,  so  ripping 
out  four  of  these  I  went  off  to  find  the  sheikh. 
I  found  him  alone  in  the  guest-chamber. 
Walking  up  to  him,  I  held  in  my  hand  the 
money,  at  the  same  time  saying,  "  If  you  will 
let  me  go  to  the  Jowf  with  you,  find  me  a 
camel,  water,  and  food,  I  will  give  you  these 


196    A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT   UNKIND   SUBJECTS 

four  gold  pieces."  He  looked  at  the  money 
and  then  at  me,  then  said,  "  Give  them  to  me 
now,  and  we'll  start  after  to-morrow."  I  said, 
"  No ;  you  come  outside,  and  before  the  men  of 
the  place  I  will  give  them  to  you  ;  they  must 
be  witnesses."  Had  I  given  him  the  money, 
most  likely  he  would  have  denied  ever  having 
had  it.  So  away  we  went,  and,  in  presence  of 
the  men  of  Ithera,  the  money  was  handed  over 
and  the  bargain  made.  That  night  I  was 
allowed  to  sleep  in  the  guest-room,  with  a  horse 
on  one  side  of  me  and  a  camel  on  the  other, 
my  only  fear  being  that  the  horse  might  tread 
on  me,  as  I  was  on  the  floor.  But  I  had  a 
good  night's  rest,  and  on  waking  next  morning 
found  the  place  empty.  I  went  out  to  a  spring 
near  by,  had  a  wash,  the  first  one  for  many 
days,  then  went  in  search  of  some  of  the  men. 
I  met  a  woman,  who  turned  out  to  be  Mrs. 
Khy-Khwan ;  she  kindly  asked  me  to  go  into 
her  house.  I  did,  and  she  set  before  me  a  dish 
of  dates,  some  warm  bread,  and  a  bowl  of  sour 
milk.  Off  this  I  made  a  sumptuous  breakfast. 
She  talked  long  with  me  and  sympathized  and 
pitied  me  because  I  had  had  to  run  away  from 
my  own  land,  people,  and  kindred,  and  seek 
shelter  among  the  Arabs.  "  Tell  me,"  she 
asked,  "  what  crime  you  committed,  or  who  you 


PHOTOGRAPH   BY  A.  FORDER 


WATER  SKINS  FILLED,   READY  FOR  A  JOURNEY 

These  skins  are  removed  from  the  carcass  without  being  cut,  and  after  curing  are  used  to 
carry  liquids  in.  The  four  seen  above  filled  with  water  were  for  the  use  of  Mr.  Forder  and 
the  chief  that  accompanied  him  for  ten  days  across  the  desert.  When  not  in  use,  olive  oil  i 
rubbed  on  and  put  into  the  skin  to  prevent  it  from  drying  and  cracking,  and  so  becoming  useless. 


A  KIND   CHIEF   BUT  UNKIND   SUBJECTS     197 

murdered,  that  you  had  to  run  away."  I  told  her 
the  real  reason  why  I  had  come  to  the  desert 
region  of  Arabia,  but  she,  poor  thing,  could 
not  believe  that  I  would  leave  wife,  children, 
home,  and  countty,  and  live  such  a  life  as  I  was 
enduring,  just  to  tell  people  about  a  Saviour. 
I  asked  about  the  proposed  journey.  She  told 
me  her  husband  went  once  a  year,  and  this  was 
the  time.  He  was  taking  the  yearly  tax  from 
the  district  that  had  to  be  paid  to  the  chief  of  the 
Jowf,  who  would  send  it  on  to  the  capital 
city,  Hay  el.  She  told  me  the  men  were  a 
"  cursed  "  lot,  but  encouraged  me  by  saying,  "  If 
you  are  with  Khy-Khwan,  no  one  will  hurt 
you."  I  spoke  to  her  about  her  soul,  but  I  got 
the  usual  reply,  "  We  women  are  no  better  than 
our  camels  or  donkeys  ;  we  have  no  souls  ;  when 
we  die,  there  is  an  end  of  us."  Then  I  went 
out,  and  in  walking  about  saw  water-skins  on 
all  hands  being  prepared  for  the  journey.  In 
a  garden  by  a  cistern  there  were  four  ready  to 
be  hung  on  the  camels.  I  knew  that  the  start 
would  soon  be  made  and  I  was  not  disappointed. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

TEN    DAYS    ON    THE    DESERT 

THE  call  to  noonday  prayers  was  heard, 
and  I  returned  to  the  house.  As  soon  as 
prayers  were  over  a  hurry  and  bustle  began. 
A  camel  was  driven  in,  and  I  was  told  to  load 
up  my  things  quickly,  as  the  caravan  was  off. 
I  put  my  belongings  on  the  camel,  jumped  on 
top,  and  rode  outside  the  village.  There  I  met 
the  chief,  who  sent  a  man  to  get  me  a  stick  to 
guide  my  beast  with,  as  it  had  no  halter  or 
rope  on  its  head.  Then  we  started ;  my  load 
slipped  off  —  so  did  I  —  because  it  was  not  tied 
on.  Some  men  were  sent  to  adjust  and  secure 
it,  and  I  soon  overtook  the  others.  I  counted 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  camels  and 
about  eighty  men  in  the  party.  Some  of  them 
were  especially  unpleasant  and  rude  fellows. 
They  gathered  round  me,  showing  their  dag- 
gers and  guns,  telling  me  over  and  over  again 
that  such  things  were  for  Christians.  They 
told  me  I  should  never  reach  the  Jowf  alive ; 
they  would  leave  my  dead  body  on  the  sands. 

198 


TEN   DAYS   ON   THE   DESERT  199 

They  began  extolling  the  religion  of  Islam,  and 
told  me  I  must  change  mine  if  I  lived  in  their 
country.  The  start  for  the  Jowf  was  not  en- 
couraging from  a  human  point  of  view,  but  in- 
wardly I  felt  that  God  was  with  me,  and  the 
arrangements  I  had  been  able  to  make,  and  for 
so  small  a  sum  of  money,  encouraged  me  to 
believe  that  all  would  be  well.  I  did  not  ignore 
the  fact  that  there  were  dangers,  but  relied  on 
the  promise  that  they  should  not  prevail  over 
me.  We  rode  away  from  Ithera  about  one 
o'clock,  and  went  on  until  sunset.  Just  before 
five  o'clock  a  cry  was  raised,  "  Look  behind." 
Coming  after  us,  as  hard  as  they  could  ride, 
was  a  party  of  wild  Bedouins ;  they  were  rob- 
bers. The  camels  were  all  driven  up  close 
together,  and  made  to  kneel  down ;  this  was  for 
protection.  The  old  chief  came  to  me  and 
said,  "  Your  being  with  us  has  caused  us  this 
trouble,  and  the  first  day  out,  too."  He  then 
told  me  to  lie  down  and  seek  shelter  between 
the  camels,  for  he  feared  I  should  be  hit  by  a 
bullet,  as  they  had  begun  to  fly  about  us.  I  did 
not  care  to  take  such  an  undignified  position 
as  was  suggested,  and  told  Khy-Khwan  so.  He 
said  he  feared  I  might  be  killed,  and  he  very 
vehemently  cursed  the  day  that  I  came  to  him. 
Quite  an  exciting  battle  took  place  between  the 


200       TEN  DAYS  ON  THE  DESERT 

enemy  and  our  men,  some  of  the  latter  acquit- 
ting themselves  very  well.  I  congratulated 
them  afterward,  and  we  became  more  friendly. 
The  robbers  made  off,  and  the  order  was  given 
to  spend  the  night  where  we  were.  My  supper 
of  dates  and  warm,  heavy  bread  was  given  me, 
after  which  I  lay  down  on  the  sand  and  was 
soon  asleep.  The  robbers  appeared  again  after 
about  two  hours,  but  were  driven  off. 

Next  morning  we  moved  off  at  sunrise,  and 
soon  reached  a  spring  of  brackish  water.  Here 
we  filled  up  the  skins,  and  moved  on  as  quickly 
as  possible.  We  never  linger  around  water. 
Other  Arabs  might  come  up,  and,  if  unfriendly, 
a  quarrel  might  ensue.  Much  of  the  fighting 
among  the  Bedouin  and  Arabs  is  caused  by 
quarrelling  over  water  —  springs  and  wells 
(Gen.  xxvi.  18-21).  That  night  we  drank 
all  the  water  we  had  carried  away  from  the 
spring,  and  hoped  next  day  to  find  more.  But 
we  found  none  for  five  days,  and  consequently 
were  very  thirsty.  The  evening  of  the  fifth 
day  I  induced  our  men  to  search  for  water,  and 
they  set  out  in  all  directions  to  do  so.  Pres- 
ently one  was  seen  waving  his  "  abba  "  —  cloak 
— over  his  head,  thus  indicating  that  he  had  been 
successful.  The  camels  set  off  at  a  run  toward 
him ;  I  brought  up  the  rear.  On  reaching  the 


TEN  DAYS  ON  THE  DESERT       2OI 

spot  I  saw  about  ten  of  the  men  down  on  their 
knees  digging  in  the  sand,  just  as  a  dog  would 
do.  I  asked  where  the  water  was,  and  received 
the  answer,  "  Wait ;  you  are  a  town  man  and 
don't  know  the  wilderness  ;  we  are  sons  of  the 
desert,  and  know  how  to  manage."  Down 
they  dug  —  three  feet,  four  feet,  five  feet,  but 
no  appearance  of  water.  Then,  instead  of  sand, 
came  gravel,  and  soon  the  valuable  liquid  that 
we  were  all  so  anxious  to  have  a  drink  of.  In 
turn  we  were  given  drink.  The  men  had  pity 
on  me  and  gave  me  the  first  draught,  knowing 
I  was  not  used  to  such  long  abstinence.  The 
water  was  dipped  up  in  their  dirty,  greasy  skull- 
caps, that  had  never  known  soap  and  very  little 
fresh  air,  being  worn  next  the  head,  under  the 
large  handkerchief  that  serves  as  a  covering  for 
the  head.  It  was  no  time  to  stand  on  cere- 
mony ;  we  were  all  too  eager  for  a  drink  to 
care  how  it  was  conveyed  to  our  mouths  from 
its  gravelly  bed.  My  cup  and  enamelled  bowl 
would  have  come  in  useful  there,  had  they  not 
been  stolen  by  some  one  anxious  to  relieve  the 
Christian  of  those  useful  additions  to  a  very 
limited  outfit.  Having  water,  we  could  have 
bread  for  supper  instead  of  dates.  Dough  was 
made,  and  baked  in  a  bed  of  hot  ashes  on  the 
sand.  When  taken  from  the  hot  coals,  the 


202       TEN  DAYS  ON  THE  DESERT 

thick  cake  was  divided  between  us ;  sometimes, 
if  the  divider  was  not  kindly  disposed  toward 
me,  I  came  off  badly,  only  getting  a  small  piece. 
On  one  occasion  I  had  only  received  a  tiny 
share,  not  enough  to  nearly  satisfy  me,  so  re- 
membering I  had  in  my  saddle-bag  the  remains 
of  what  was  given  me  in  Orman,  sixteen  days 
before,  I  took  it  out,  intending  to  eat  it.  It  was 
musty  and  as  hard  as  a  stone.  Knowing  the 
dislike  the  Arab  has  of  seeing  bread  thrown 
away,  I  determined  to  soak  it  and  give  it  to 
my  camel  to  eat.  I  did  this,  thinking  no  one 
had  seen  me.  Next  morning,  bread  was  made 
and  divided  out  as  usual,  but  none  was  given 
to  me.  I  did  not  ask  for  any ;  that  would  be 
,  contrary  to  custom.  So  we  started  on  another 
day.  How  sorry  I  was  I  had  given  the  camel 
the  hard  bread ;  it  would  have  served  me  now 
I  was  so  hungry.  I  might  have  damped  it  and 
managed  to  allay  the  hunger,  but  it  was  gone. 
Little  did  I  think  that  my  feeding  the  camel 
with  these  few  hard  pieces  would  result  in  my 
having  to  go  hungry  for  the  next  day,  but  such 
was  the  case.  Some  of  the  men  saw  me  soak 
the  musty  remains  and  give  it  to  my  camel, 
and  they  thought  me  wasteful.  I  told  the  old 
chief  about  it  during  the  day.  He  said  he 
thought  I  had  been  given  my  share,  as  the 


TEN   DAYS   ON   THE   DESERT  203 

usual  quantity  of  flour  had  been  doled  out  as 
hitherto.  On  asking  the  men  who  made  the 
bread  why  none  had  been  given  me,  the  answer 
given  was,  "  The  Christian  feeds  his  camel  on 
bread,  and  as  he  is  wasteful  we  did  not  give 
him  any."  I  tried  to  explain,  but  I  had  com- 
mitted an  offence  that  could  not  be  easily  over- 
looked. I  learned  a  lesson  I  shall  not  soon 
forget.  I  well  remember  the  night  that  fol- 
lowed that  day.  We  put  down  near  a  wild 
palm ;  water  was  brought  from  a  small  spring 
about  half  a  mile  away.  It  had  been  windy  all 
the  day,  but  at  sunset  a  terrible  wind  from  the 
northeast  commenced  to  blow,  whirling  the 
sand  in  all  directions,  and  so  keen  and  sweep- 
ing was  the  wind  that  we  could  not  even  have 
a  fire  —  it  was  carried  in  all  directions.  The 
chief  kindly  made  a  barricade  of  some  of  the 
sacks  of  wheat  we  were  carrying,  but  it  was  of 
little  use,  and  did  not  shelter  us  much.  The 
cold  made  sleep  impossible  and  I  rested  little, 
and  was  glad  when  the  day  broke.  The  wind 
ceased  with  the  sunrise,  but  I  was  chilled 
through  and  was  obliged  to  walk  for  quite  two 
hours  so  that  I  might  get  warm.  We  were 
getting  near  our  journey's  end,  and  all  were 
eager  to  reach  the  Jowf.  Beyond  the  fatigue 
of  the  journey  all  had  gone  well.  The  attitude 


204       TEN  DAYS  ON  THE  DESERT 

of  the  men  had  changed  toward  me,  but  they 
never  lost  an  opportunity  of  trying  to  frighten 
me  because  I  was  a  Christian.  We  ofttimes 
saw  skeletons  of  camels  on  the  sand,  and  twice 
saw  human  remains.  On  coming  across  a  skull 
one  day,  the  men  called  my  attention  to  it  and 
tried  to  impress  me  with  the  fact  that  it  was  a 
Christian's  skull  —  one  that  like  myself  had 
ventured  into  the  land  of  the  Moslem,  but 
had  perished  in  the  desert,  and  his  remains  had 
been  left  as  a  warning  to  any  Christians  that 
came  after,  "  Such  will  be  your  fate  "  was  the 
comforting  assurance  they  offered  me.  The 
last  night  we  were  out  I  made  another  unfor- 
givable mistake.  As  usual,  I  was  up  before 
daybreak,  and  had  boiled  a  drop  of  water  to 
make  me  a  cup  of  beef  tea  before  starting  out. 
There  was  no  food  that  morning,  as  we  were 
nearing  the  end  of  the  journey,  and,  on  picking 
up  my  kettle  to  put  into  my  saddle-bag,  I  found 
it  still  had  a  drop  of  water  in  it,  not  more  than 
a  teacupful.  Here  was  a  chance  for  a  wash,  so 
filling  my  hand  I  rinsed  my  face  and  hands, 
glad  to  be  able  to  remove  the  top  layer  of  dust 
and  dirt.  I  thought  no  one  had  seen  me,  but 
alas,  eyes  were  on  me,  and  on  asking  for  a  drink 
later  on  I  was  told,  "  If  you  use  water  for  wash- 
ing, you  cannot  have  it  for  drinking."  To  ex- 


THE   CASTLE   OF  THE   JOWF 

This  shows  the  chief's  residence,  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  The  picture  was  taken 
after  the  accident  that  nearly  killed  the  chief,  hence  onlv  three  towers  appear  on  the  walls. 
It  was  never  known  that  this  picture  was  taken,  or  the  Arabs  would  have  made  more 
trouble  than  they  did. 


PHOTOGRAPH   BY   A.  FORDER 

MARID,  THE    STRONGHOLD  OF    THE    JOWF 

This  castle  is  at  the  north  end  of  the  oasis  of  Jowf.  It  is  very  large  and  circular  in  shape. 
The  Arabs  believe  that  much  treasure  is  hidden  under  the  walls,  and  only  the  Christians 
know  where  to  locate  it.  Once  a  year  worship  is  conducted  by  the  Arabs  inside  this  mas- 
sive ruin. 


TEN   DAYS   ON   THE   DESERT  205 

plain  was  useless.  I  had  done  a  dreadful  thing, 
and  could  not  be  forgiven.  Soon  after  I  saw 
the  men  empty  all  their  water-skins  out  on  the 
sand.  And  what  I  fain  would  have  quenched 
my  thirst  with  was  wasted  before  my  eyes. 
Before  us  in  the  distance  could  be  seen  the 
palms  of  the  Jowf.,  and  rearing  itself  above  the 
palms  was  the  fine  old  circular  castle,  no  one 
knows  how  old.  I  was  forbidden  to  go  near  it 
for  various  reasons.  About  four  in  the  after- 
noon we  entered  this  secluded  desert-bound 
town,  and  were  soon  lodged  in  the  spacious 
guest-room  of  the  three  sons  of  the  chief, 
whose  name  was  Johar  —  or  Aboo  Amber,  i.e. 
the  father  of  Amber. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE  CHIEF'S  PLAN  TO  CAPTURE  ME  FOR  ISLAM 

SOON  after  sighting  the  old  castle  I  saw 
men,  women,  and  children  coming  out  to 
meet  their  relatives  and  friends  that  were 
arriving  from  the  desert  journey  with  its  dan- 
gers and  fatigue.  For  a  time  all  attention 
was  taken  off  me  by  the  greetings,  salutations, 
and  welcomings  of  the  long-separated  relatives. 
But  soon  it  was  discovered  that  a  stranger  was 
with  the  party,  and  for  him  there  was  no  word 
of  welcome.  Such  expressions  as  these  were 
meant  for  me :  "  May  God  curse  him ! "  "  The 
enemy  of  God  and  the  Prophet,  may  we  be 
delivered  from  him  !  "  "  Infidel,  Unclean  ! "  and 
such  like  were  hurled  at  me  by  all  classes, 
especially  the  women  and  children.  I  was 
much  interested  in  the  old  mud  towers  that 
I  saw  on  all  hands  as  I  entered  the  Jowf  from 
the  north.  I  found  out  afterward  that  they 
were  for  the  purpose  of  defence.  It  was  im- 
possible to  get  any  pictures  of  them  because  of 

206 


THE   CHIEF'S  PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME        207 

the  constant  eyes  on  me.  We  rode  along  the 
side  of  this  beautiful  oasis  in  the  desert.  The 
beauty  and  prosperous  condition  of  the  thou- 
sands of  palms  impressed  me.  The  Jowf  as  a 
town  is  about  two  miles  long,  and,  on  an  aver- 
age, a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide.  The  houses, 
many  of  them,  are  hidden  away  in  the  palms, 
and  so  give  one  the  impression  at  first  sight 
that  the  place  is  thinly  populated.  I  learned 
from  the  chief,  later  on,  that  there  were  about 
forty  thousand  inhabitants  in  the  Jowf,  all  told. 
The  buildings,  except  the  castle,  are  all  of  mud 
and  sand  brick,  dried  in  the  sun ;  some  of  the 
houses  have  three  stories,  built,  of  course,  in  a 
very  primitive  style.  The  roofs  are  all  flat, 
protected  by  a  wall  about  waist  high.  The 
women,  there  secluded,  frequent  these  roofs,  as 
they  are  free  from  all  observation.  The  interior 
of  the  houses  are  as  bare  as  possible,  the  hand- 
mill,  coffee-pounder,  and  an  old  rug  or  two 
being  about  all  that  is  visible.  Most  of  the 
houses  are  doorless,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
wood.  The  people  live  mostly  out  of  doors, 
in  the  hottest  months  seeking  the  shade  of  the 
palm  groves  and  gardens,  and  in  the  cooler 
months  basking  in  the  sun  on  the  sand.  Rain 
is  scarce  in  the  Jowf ;  they  told  me  three  falls  a 
year  were  about  all  they  had.  The  water 


208       THE  CHIEF'S  PLAN   TO  CAPTURE  ME 

supply  is  good,  drawn  up  by  camels  from 
springs  deep  down  in  the  earth.  There  are 
some  warm,  sulphurous  springs  there,  used  by 
the  people  for  ablution  purposes.  I  saw  no 
shops  in  the  town,  and  on  asking  how  the 
people  got  the  necessities  of  life,  such  as  cloth- 
ing, cooking  utensils,  coffee,  etc.,  they  told  me 
they  relied  on  caravans  that  came  from  Mecca, 
Bagdad,  or  Damascus. 

The  men  make  their  own  "  abbas  "  —  cloaks 
—  on  rude  looms,  also  a  few  for  sale.  I  got  a 
very  good  one  for  about  three  and  a  half  dol- 
lars. The  abbas  of  the  Jowf  are  much  valued 
and  sought  after  in  Palestine  and  Syria.  I 
also  saw  men  making  "  mereers,"  the  double 
rope  that  they  wear  on  their  heads,  and  was 
intensely  interested  in  the  simple,  yet  neat,  way 
they  did  it.  Saddle-bags  and  carpets  are  also 
included  in  the  industries  of  the  Jowf.  The 
staple  food  of  the  place  is  dates  and  "  temmin," 
the  latter  a  cereal  inferior  to  rice.  Bread  is  a 
luxury  and  is  only  eaten  by  the  head  men  of 
the  place,  and  that  not  every  day,  A  kind  of 
bread  is  made  from  flour,  ground  from  a  small 
seed  almost  as  fine  as  sand  and  dark  red  in 
color.  The  name  of  the  seed  is  "semmah," 
and  the  taste  of  the  finished  article  abominable. 
The  people  are  fortunate  in  having  a  good 


THE   CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO  CAPTURE   ME        2OQ 

supply  of  fruit.  Besides  the  many  varieties 
of  dates,  they  told  me  they  had  grapes,  apricots, 
plums,  citron,  melons,  tomatoes,  cucumbers, 
beans,  pumpkins,  and  other  things  not  known  to 
me  in  English.  Like  all  Eastern  towns,  there 
were  no  sanitary  arrangements.  The  only 
beverage  of  the  Jowfees  is  coffee  ;  intoxicants 
there  are  none  —  long  may  it  be  so  !  Many  of 
the  men  smoke,  not  all.  I  was  agreeably  sur- 
prised to  find  so  many  of  the  men  and  boys 
able  to  read  intelligently,  and  also  to  see  that 
many  of  them  possessed  watches.  The  igno- 
rance of  outside  affairs  surprised  me.  Absence 
of  posts,  telegrams,  newspapers,  and  railways 
keeps  them  isolated.  Truly  Ishmael  dwells 
alone  (Jer.  xlix.  31).  The  government  of  the 
Jowf,  as  also  Ithera  and  Kaf,  is  in  the  hands 
of  Abdul- Azeez-Ibn  Rasheed,  who  resides  at 
Hayel,  a  city  six  days'  journey  from  the  Jowf. 
He  is  represented  in  the  Jowf  by  a  very  in- 
fluential old  man  named  Johar,  whose  fame  I 
had  heard  some  years  before.  Just,  liberal, 
open-hearted,  and  firm,  he  is  feared  and  re- 
spected by  all  that  know  him  or  have  anything 
to  do  with  him.  He  is  also  responsible  for  the 
taxes  and  good  behavior  of  a  town  six  hours  east 
of  the  Jowf  named  Sakaka;  report  said  it  was 
as  large  and  flourishing  a  place  as  the  Jowf. 


210   THE  CHIEF'S  PLAN  TO  CAPTURE  ME 

Time  and  circumstances  did  not  allow  me  to 
pay  a  visit  to  this  unknown  place,  much  as  I 
should  have  liked  to  do  so. 

Having  introduced  the  reader  in  this  brief  way 
to  the  Jowf  and  its  people,  I  will  return  to  my 
story.  A  sharp  bend  in  the  road  revealed  the 
imposing  castle  of  Johar  with  its  four  lofty  towers 
on  the  corners  of  the  outside  wall.  Our  com- 
pany had  gone  into  all  directions,  and  I  was 
riding  behind  Khy-Khwan.  He  pointed  out  the 
castle  to  me  and  told  me  it  was  the  residence  of 
Johar,  the  chief.  He  rode  on,  I  following,  until 
we  reached  a  large  square  with  many  men  sitting 
about  in  the  sun.  Near  by  was  a  large  house. 
We  dismounted ;  many  were  the  greetings  for 
my  conductor,  but  none  for  me.  Then  we 
were  invited  inside  and  were  asked  to  be 
seated.  I  was  the  object  of  attention,  every- 
body asking  the  same  question,  "  What  does  he 
want  here  ?  he  is  a  Christian."  I  kept  quiet,  and 
left  Khy-Khwan  to  answer  all  questions,  which 
he  did  in  his  own  way,  not  always  telling  the 
truth,  however.  As  it  was  "  Rumathan  "  —  the 
month  observed  by  Moslems  for  fasting  by  day 
and  feasting  by  night  —  no  coffee  was  made  or 
food  brought.  We  had  not  been  sitting  long 
when  a  man  came  in  to  say  Johar  had  heard  of 
our  arrival  and  was  coming  to  see  us.  In  a  few 


THE   CHIEFS   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME        211 

minutes  he  appeared,  accompanied  by  six  or 
eight  of  his  attendants  and  a  short,  thick-set 
negro,  clad  in  many  and  various-colored  gar- 
ments and  carrying  a  heavy  whip  in  his  hand. 
We  all  rose  to  receive  him,  and  he  was  given  the 
seat  of  honor  at  the  far  end  of  the  large  room. 
He  invited  Khy-Khwan  to  sit  on  his  right  and 
me  on  his  left  hand.  Salutations  were  ex- 
changed and  a  few  questions  asked,  and  then 
Johar  turned  to  me,  "You  are  a  Christian,  eh?" 

"  Yes." 

"  What  brings  you  here  ?  " 

"  To  see  the  Jowf  and  its  people,  also  to  sell 
God's  Word  to  any  that  will  buy." 

"  Are  you  not  afraid  of  the  people,  or  myself  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  believe  God  will  keep  me,  and  I 
believe  that  under  your  protection  no  harm  will 
come  to  me." 

"  Have  you  heard  about  me  before  ? " 

"  Yes,  in  Kerak.  I  ofttimes  heard  of  you  from 
the  Bedouin  that  came  in  to  buy  grain.  Your 
name  is  sweet  everywhere,  and  I  am  glad  to  be 
in  the  Jowf  and  under  your  protection." 

"  I  fear  you  will  get  killed  if  you  go  about 
here  alone.  The  people  are  haters  of  Chris- 
tians, and  may  harm  you." 

"  I  will  be  careful  and  not  go  far  away  from 
the  houses,"  I  replied. 


212       THE  CHIEF'S  PLAN  TO   CAPTURE   ME 

He  then  ordered  a  man  to  go  and  bring  a 
tray  of  the  best  dates  for  me,  saying  to  me: 
"  We  are  fasting  and  dare  not  eat.  You  must 
be  hungry ;  don't  be  ashamed  ;  '  kool  wahud  ala 
deenoo'  —  every  one  to  his  religion.  Eat,"  for 
the  dates  were  before  me,  enough  for  twenty 
men  to  feed  off. 

I  hesitated,  not  liking  to  eat  alone,  knowing 
that  every  one  else  was  fasting.  "  I  can  wait 
until  sunset,"  I  said.  "  Like  you,  like  me." 

But  he  insisted,  and  I  ate  a  few  of  the  dates, 
and  whilst  thus  engaged  he  rose  and  went  out, 
followed  by  his  eldest  son,  named  Faleh,  and  his 
attendants.  Soon  I  was  called  outside,  and  was 
addressed  by  Faleh,  who,  here  I  must  say,  was 
a  very  nice,  kind-hearted  young  man  of  about 
twenty-five.  "  My  father  says  you  must  not  be 
allowed  to  remain  in  the  guest-room  with  the 
men.  Being  a  Christian,  you  will  defile  them  ; 
you  are  unclean ;  you  are  to  have  a  small  place 
near  by  where  you  must  sleep  and  sit.  He  will 
also  send  three  men  that  will  be  with  you  when 
you  go  outside  —  one  of  them  will  always  be 
with  you  in  your  room."  He  showed  me  a 
small  place  adjoining  the  guest-room.  It  was 
about  twelve  feet  deep,  four  feet  wide,  and 
seven  feet  high,  entered  by  a  rude  doorway 
about  four  feet  high;  it  had  a  door  without 


ARABS  OF  NORTHERN  ARABIA 

These  three  men,  residents  of  the  town  of  Jowf  in  North  Arabia,  were  my  guardians  during 
my  stay  in  that  extensive  oasis.  In  reality  they  were  set  over  me  to  take  note  of  all  I  did 
and  report  to  the  chief.  The  one  on  the  left-hand  side  roused  the  fanaticism  of  tka  Arabs 
after  the  castle  had  fallen  in  and  injured  the  chief.  *  J  t«  I  TV  •  ,*  *.  ' 


THE   CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME        213 

any  fastening  on  it  to  secure  me  from  intruders 
by  day  or  night.  The  floor  on  which  I  had  to 
lay  was  made  of  large  stones  set  edgeways  in 
mud.  No  air  or  light  could  enter  except  by 
the  door,  and  that  entrance  was  darkened  by  a 
flight  of  steps  that  led  to  an  upper  chamber, 
which  was  the  sleeping  apartment  of  the  young- 
est son.  My  belongings  were  carried  in  and 
put  down  anyhow.  The  place  was  filthy,  hav- 
ing been  used  as  a  stable  and  general  rubbish- 
room.  I  was  grateful  for  this  separate  place; 
although  not  all  that  could  be  desired,  I  had 
some  privacy,  and  was  enabled  to  pray  and 
meditate  without  a  crowd  of  curious  spectators, 
and  I  also  had  my  nights  to  myself,  and  was 
thus  saved  the  unpleasant  task  every  night 
and  morning  of  looking  through  my  clothes 
in  search  of  sundry  irritating  and  undesirable 
creatures  that  abound  in  Arabdom  and  quickly 
transfer  themselves  from  man  to  man,  encour- 
aged no  doubt  by  the  prospect  of  something 
fresh  in  the  way  of  drink  and  food.  I  got  my 
share  of  visitors  in  spite  of  my  semi-seclusion ; 
I  was  invited  to  supper  in  the  guest-room,  and 
did  my  best  to  empty  the  dish,  having  been  with- 
out food  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours.  In  spite 
of  Johar's  orders,  I  was  invited  to  join  the  men 
round  the  fire  and  partake  of  coffee  with  them. 


214       THE   CHIEFS   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME 

Next  morning  I  was  up  early,  and  spent  a 
time  at  a  warm  spring,  washing  my  clothes. 
The  sight  of  soap  induced  others  to  join  me,  to 
take  the  opportunity  of  using  soap  on  their 
hands  and  heads;  so  my  soap  quickly  vanished. 
After  a  breakfast  of  dates  from  a  large  trayful 
that  had  been  put  in  my  small  room  so  that  I 
could  eat  when  I  liked,  I  thought  I  would  go 
over  and  see  Johar  at  his  castle.  There  were 
no  men  about  the  premises,  and  I  could  not 
find  any  women.  So  off  I  started,  and  in  about 
'fifteen  minutes  reached  the  outer  wall  of  the 
castle.  I  walked  round  it  to  find  the  entrance, 
when  suddenly,  on  the  south  side,  I  came  upon 
Johar  holding  his  daily  Court  of  Inquiry.  He 
was  mounted  on  a  dais  about  three  feet  high, 
with  his  scribe  at  his  side.  Before  him  in  a 
semicircle  sat  scores  of  men,  listening  to  the 
various  cases  presented  to  him  to  give  judg- 
ment about.  On  seeing  me,  he  beckoned  me 
to  him,  and  asked  me  to  sit  by  his  side.  He 
finished  the  case  he  had  in  hand,  and  then 
turned  to  me  :  — 

"  Did  you  come  over  here  alone  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Were  you  not  afraid  ?  " 

"No." 

"  Have  you  no  fear  of  any  one  ?  " 


THE   CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME        215 

"Yes,  I  fear  God  and  the  devil"  —  a  com- 
mon saying  among  them. 

"  Do  you  not  fear  me  ? " 

"  No." 

"  But  I  could  cut  your  head  off." 

"  Yes,  I  know  you  could ;  but  you  wouldn't 
treat  a  guest  thus." 

"  No,"  he  said,  "  I  wouldn't ;  but  I  would  Khy- 
Khwan, — turning  to  him,  —  if  he  were  not  such 
an  old  friend  of  mine,  for  bringing  you  down 
here  with  him." 

Then,  calling  one  of  my  neglectful  attend- 
ants, he  told  him  to  return  with  me  to  the 
house,  have  bread  made  for  me,  and  see  that  I 
was  never  hungry,  "  and  don't  let  him  go  out 
alone,"  he  ba\vled  out  as  we  departed. 

I  passed  a  few  hours  quietly  with  my  com- 
panion, reading  and  writing  in  my  diary, — 
afterward  I  was  strictly  forbidden  to  write, — 
when  we  were  told  that  Johar  was  coming. 
Soon  he  arrived,  and  a  crowd  with  him.  The 
large  hall  was  filled  with  men,  and  I  was  called 
in  before  him.  He  asked  me  a  few  things 
about  our  country  and  religion,  and  I  answered 
him.  Then  he  said  he  wanted  to  see  God's 
Book.  So  I  went  and  brought  in  a  large  Ara- 
bic Bible,  bound  in  morocco,  with  gilt  orna- 
mentation. I  had  brought  this  book  for  him, 


2l6       THE   CHIEFS   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME 

but  did  not  want  to  force  it  on  him.  We  un- 
covered it,  and  he  took  it,  kissed  it,  and  ex- 
amined it  from  outside,  and  concluded  it  was 
a  nice  book.  Then  he  opened  it,  put  on  some 
ancient  spectacles,  and  commenced  to  read. 
Opening  at  Genesis,  he  read  the  whole  of  chap- 
ter xxiv,  shut  up  the  book,  and  asked  me  to  give 
it  to  him.  "  You  must  buy  it,"  I  said ;  "  it  is 
worth  an  English  pound,  i.e.  five  dollars.  I 
will  sell  it  you  for  half.1'  He  said,  "  Leave 
it  till  to-morrow."  Then  he  said,  "  Christian,  I 
want  to  speak  to  you."  I  said,  "  Good ;  speak 
on."  Said  he,  "  You  are  come  into  the  land 
of  the  Moslem,  the  believers  in  Mohammed, 
the  prophet  of  God ;  here  are  no  Christians ; 
we  don't  allow  them  to  stay  here;  we  are  taught 
by  our  religion  to  kill  all  such.  I  must  ask  you 
to  give  up  your  religion  and  become  as  one  of 
us.  What  do  you  answer  ?  " 

Here  was  a  strait  place  to  be  in.  I  remem- 
bered that  to  displease  Johar  might  cause  seri- 
ous times  for  me;  also,  that  hundreds  of  miles 
of  desert  lay  between  me  and  any  Christian, 
and  I  could  tell  that  the  whole  thing  had  been 
arranged. 

Johar  went  on  to  say :  "  I  praise  God  that 
through  my  influence  six  Christians  that  came 
here  at  different  times  have  become  Moslem, 


THE  CHIEFS   PLAN  TO   CAPTURE   ME        217 

and  one  Jew  also.  There  is  a  man  living  here 
in  Jowf  that  was  formerly  a  Christian,  but  has 
resigned  himself  to  God  and  the  true  religion. 
[This  latter  was  true,  for  I  met  the  man  ofttimes 
after,  although  he  was  ashamed  to  speak  to  me.] 
Repeat  the  witness,  '  There  is  no  God  but  God, 
and  Mohammed  is  His  Prophet,'  and  at  once 
you  will  become  one  of  the  faithful,  and  be 
acceptable  to  God  and  His  people."  They  were 
all  awaiting  my  answer.  With  a  short,  silent 
prayer  to  God  for  words  to  speak,  I  replied, 
"Chief  Johar,  I  would  ask  you  two  questions 
and  hear  your  answers."  "  Good,"  he  said ; 
"  speak."  "  First,  if  you  were  in  the  land  of 
the  Christians,  guest  of  the  Queen  [I  did 
not  know  she  was  dead],  and  she  asked  you 
to  become  a  Christian  and  give  up  your  own 
religion,  would  you  do  it  ? "  "  No,  not  if  she 
had  my  head  cut  off,"  he  replied.  "  Secondly, 
which  do  you  think  it  best  to  do,  to  please  God 
or  please  man  ?  "  "  To  please  God,"  was  the 
ready  reply  he  gave.  Then  I  said,  "  Johar,  I 
am  just  like  you :  I  cannot  change  my  religion, 
not  if  you  cut  off  two  heads,  if  I  had  them,  and 
I  must  please  God  by  remaining  a  Christian. 
If  I  repeated  '  the  witness,'  you  would  all  be 
pleased,  but  it  would  only  be  from  here  (touch- 
ing my  lips);  my  heart  would  still  remain 


2l8        THE   CHIEFS   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME 

Christian,  and  so  by  pleasing  you  I  should 
grieve  God  by  becoming  a  liar  and  deceiver. 
I  cannot  do  what  you  ask  me ;  it  is  impossible." 
He  rose  and  went  out,  much  displeased.  I  was 
glad  to  get  away  to  my  room.  Here  was  an 
attack  on  the  soul,  not  the  body,  and  the  verse 
in  my  Psalm  came  home  forcibly  to  me :  "  He 
shall  preserve  thy  soul."  The  men  came  to  me 
frequently  that  evening  and  told  me  how  fool- 
ish I  had  been  not  to  do  as  Johar  had  asked 
me. 

"  To-morrow  is  our  great  feast  day,  and  your 
conversion  would  have  made  it  a  great  time  of 
rejoicing,"  they  said. 

I  was  glad  when  night  came,  so  as  to  be 
alone,  and  I  prayed  earnestly  for  guidance  and 
help  for  the  coming  day,  then  lay  down  on  the 
stones  to  sleep,  body  and  mind  not  in  the  most 
perfect  state  of  rest.  Next  morning,  just  after 
daybreak,  I  was  aroused  by  two  men,  fully 
armed,  pushing  open  the  door,  coming  in,  and 
shouting,  "  Christian,  get  up  ;  Johar  has  sent  us 
for  you ;  come  quickly  to  the  castle."  "  What 
does  he  want,"  I  asked,  "and  where  is  your 
authority  ?  "  "  We  don't  know ;  here  are  our 
swords,  showing  we  are  on  duty." 

I  quickly  dressed,  all  the  time  wondering 
what  was  going  to  happen,  for  I  had  made  up 


THE  CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO  CAPTURE  ME        219 

my  mind  to  keep  quiet  and  not  expose  myself, 
because  the  people  would  be  so  excited  keeping 
feast,  and  my  presence  might  have  excited  them 
more  and  caused  me  harm.  I  followed  the  men 
over  to  the  castle  and  saw  crowds  of  people  going 
toward  it  from  all  directions.  On  reaching  the 
same  spot  as  I  had  before,  I  saw  Johar  mounted 
on  his  elevated  seat,  clad  in  garments  of  many 
colors.  He  was  all  smiles  and  greeted  me 
heartily.  I  gave  him  the  usual  salutations  and 
the  special  ones  customary  on  high  days  and 
festal  occasions.  He  was  pleased,  but  surprised 
that  I  could  do  this.  He  bade  me  sit  by  him. 
There  were  hundreds  of  men  and  boys  sitting 
in  the  sun  on  the  sand  in  front  of  him. 

Said  he :  "  To-day  is  a  great  feast  with  us, 
and  we  have  been  to  the  old  castle  and  had 
prayers  and  service;  why  did  you  not  come  and 
*  furrage  '  [i.e.  to  quiz  in  a  curious  way]  us  at 
our  prayers  and  see  all  that  we  did  ?  "  I  replied, 
"  We  do  not  think  that  people  should  go  to 
prayers  just  for  the  sake  of  quizzing  what  others 
do ;  prayers  to  us  are  sacred,  and  we  like  to  be 
quiet  and  alone,  and  I  thought  you  would  not 
like  me  to  come  and  watch  you."  The  answer 
pleased  him,  and  he  patted  me  on  the  back,  say- 
ing, "  You  are  better  people  than  we  are,  if  only 
you  would  accept  the  Prophet  as  we  do."  Then 


220        THE   CHIEFS   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME 

he  told  his  servants  to  bring  out  the  things  pre- 
pared for  breaking  their  fast. 

The  great  castle  door  with  its  iron  plates  on 
it  were  opened,  and  inside  I  saw  a  rusty  old 
cannon.  In  a  few  minutes  several  men  appeared, 
carrying  on  a  carpet  a  circular  dish  about  four 
feet  in  diameter,  filled  with  meat  and  "  temmin," 
—  a  cereal  inferior  to  rice,  —  strongly  flavored 
with  curry  and.  cayenne  and  soaked  in  liquid 
grease.  This  was  placed  in  front  of  Johar  and 
myself.  Nine  other  dishes  followed  and  were 
placed  round  in  a  circle.  Then  Johar  told  me 
to  sit  down  on  the  sand,  as  he  already  had  done, 
which  I  did.  He  called  Khy-Khwan  and  one  or 
two  others.  Then  saying  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Bis- 
millah !  "  —  In  the  name  of  God,  —  he  told  all  to 
eat,  and  the  men  began  to  feast.  The  meat  — 
camel's  flesh  —  was  in  large  lumps,  but  was 
soon  torn  into  fragments  and  devoured.  The 
quantity  consumed  by  one  man  was  astonish- 
ing. Johar  was  very  attentive  to  me  and  kept 
putting  into  my  hand  lumps  of  meat,  and  espe- 
cially fat,  the  daintiest  part,  that  he  had  pulled 
off  the  lump  in  the  midst  of  the  bowl.  "  Eat, 
Christian;  enjoy  yourself;  don't  be  ashamed," 
he  said  The  sight  was  sufficient,  but  I  had  to 
eat.  I  was  glad  when  Johar  got  up  and  went 
back  to  his  seat.  I  quickly  followed.  We 


THE  CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO  CAPTURE  ME       221 

watched  the  crowd  pushing  and  grabbing  to 
get  their  share  of  the  provision.  I  shall  never 
forget  that  sight.  How  I  wished  I  could  have 
taken  some  pictures  of  it,  but  it  was  impossible. 
Said  Johar,  "  See  the  savages,  like  dogs ;  do 
you  thus  in  your  land,  Christian  ?  "  I  said  "  No," 
and  he  laughed. 

After  the  dishes  had  been  emptied  and  well 
cleaned  they  were  taken  back  into  the  castle, 
and  the  assembly  broke  up.  I  then  went  in- 
side the  castle  and  had  coffee  with  the  sheikh. 
Johar  then  called  one  of  my  attendants  and 
told  him  to  go  back  with  me  to  my  room  and 
stay  with  me,  lest  any  one  should  harm  me.  So 
we  went  back.  I  learned  that  three  camels  and 
four  loads  of  temmin  had  been  cooked  at  Johar's 
expense  for  the  feast.  He  did  this  every  year. 
We  stayed  indoors  for  an  hour  or  so,  and  then 
I  said  I  would  like  to  go  into  the  palm  groves 
and  gardens  and  spend  a  time.  The  people,  all 
being  taken  up  in  visiting  one  another  to  ex- 
change greetings,  had  no  thought  for  me,  so  I 
slipped  away  alone,  and  in  the  quiet  time  made 
use  of  my  camera.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Johar 
came  again.  I  was  out  in  the  groves  when  a 
man  came  to  call  me.  I  hurried  back  and  found 
the  large  guest-room  full  of  men.  I  was  invited 
to  sit  by  Johar.  All  were  very  silent.  Then 


222        THE   CHIEF'S    PLAN    TO   CAPTURE   ME 

Johar  addressed  me.  "  Christian,  what  I  asked 
you  yesterday  was  a  hard  thing,  and  I  think  there 
must  be  things  that  make  it  difficult  for  you  to 
become  a  Moslem,  but  I  will  help  you.  Are 
you  married  ? " 

"  Yes.'' 

"  Have  children  ?  " 

"  Yes,  three." 

"  Have  you  money  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Do  you  trade,  or  keep  a  shop?  " 

"  No.     God  sends  me  what  I  need." 

"  Well,  listen :  If  you  will  become  Moslem,  I 
will  give  you  four  wives  instead  of  the  one  you 
have,  and  you  will  soon  have  more  than  three 
children.  I  will  also  give  you  camels,  palms, 
and  money,  so  that  you  can  trade  and  soon 
become  rich.  We  will  give  you  a  house  and 
all  you  need  if  you  will  become  a  Moslem  like 


we  are." 


I  thanked  him  for  his  kind  offer,  but  told  him 
I  could  not  change  my  religion  for  all  he  might 
offer  to  give  me. 

He  got  up  quickly  and  went  away  to  his 
castle,  murmuring  "that  it  was  a  cursed  day 
when  I  came  among  them,  and  that  if  I  stayed 
in  the  Jowf,  some  harm  would  befall  them." 

That  evening  he  sent  Faleh,  his  son,  to  me, 


THE   CHIEF'S   PLAN   TO   CAPTURE   ME       223 

requesting  that  I  give  him  the  Bible  he  had 
seen.  So  I  sent  it  to  him. 

Next  morning  early,  two  men  came  to  me  with 
this  message,  "  Johar  has  sent  us  to  tell  you 
that  you  must  leave  the  Jowf  at  once ;  you 
must  not  stay  here ;  you  will  do  some  harm  if 
you  remain." 

My  answer  was,  "  Respects  to  Johar.  Tell 
him  I  can't  leave  the  Jowf  alone  ;  I  have  no 
one  to  go  with.  When  Khy-Khwan  returns,  I 
will  go  with  him ;  I  have  paid  him  for  the 
return,  so  cannot  go  with  any  one  else."  They 
went  off  and  told  him,  and  soon  returned,  say- 
ing, "  Johar  says  you  must  leave  at  once ;  you 
cannot  stay  here."  I  said,  "  You  go  and  tell 
Johar  if  he  wants  me  to  leave  this  place  at  once, 
he  must  send  a  camel  and  some  men  that  will 
go  with  me  to  Ithera,  where  I  came  from.  If 
he  won't  do  that,  I  must  wait  till  our  party 
returns."  Soon  they  were  back  again  with  this 
message,  "  Johar  says  you  may  stay,  but  must 
not  leave  your  room.  If  the  Sultan  at  the 
capital  hears  you  have  been  here  doing  as  you 
like,  he  might  punish  Johar  for  allowing  you 
to  remain."  This  was  a  relief  to  me,  but  I  felt 
I  must  be  careful. 


CHAPTER   XX 

A    CALAMITY   THAT    NEARLY    COST    ME    MY    LIFE 

A  FEW  days  after  the  events  recorded  in 
the  last  chapter,  as  I  sat  by  the  fire  in 
the  guest-room  with  about  twenty  men,  the 
head  man  of  the  community,  a  sort  of  priest 
and  a  fanatic,  came  in  and  launched  into  a 
sermon  full  of  hatred  against  the  Christian 
religion.  He  repeated  all  that  the  Koran  had 
to  say  against  Christians,  and  reminded  the 
listeners  that  the  words  of  their  prophet  com- 
manded the  faithful  to  exterminate  the  unbe- 
lievers whenever  they  came  across  them.  The 
whole  thing  was  directed  against  me,  but  I 
took  no  notice  of  it.  The  preacher  went  away, 
and  I  went  to  my  dark  corner  and  prayed  for 
help  and  guidance. 

Early  next  morning  kind-hearted  Faleh  came 
to  me  and  said,  "  Don't  fear,  Aboo  Jerius  [my 
name  among  the  Arabs,  meaning  "  Father  of 
George,"  the  name  of  my  eldest  son],  no  harm 
shall  come  to  you  if  I  can  help  it.  Don't 
make  the  people  angry;  some  like  you,  but 

224 


PHOTOGRAPH   BY  A.  FORCER 


CROSSING  THE   DESERT 

This  picture  was  taken  from  a  camel's  back  as  the  author  rode  along.  It  shows  a  caravan 
on  the  desert.  At  any  sign  of  danger,  the  camels  are  brought  together  and  made  to  kneel 
down.  The  Arabs  find  their  way  across  these  trackless  plains  by  watching  the  sun  and 
stars. 


GATHERING   SALT   IN   THE   DESFki   ;  •  ;    •  \   ; 

In  northern  Arabia  there  are  many  brine  springs.       From  these  the  ''Arabs'  £et 

of  good  crystal  salt,  which  they  barter  to  traders  for  wheat,  cloturhg'arici  "sometimes  money 

Two  sacks  of  salt,  a  camel  load,  is  worth  about  thirty  cent^.     ,       ••,,,     •» 


A   CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST   ME   MY   LIFE    225 

some  that  are  ignorant  hate  you."  That  day, 
as.  on  previous  ones,  I  sold  and  distributed 
many  Scriptures  to  both  men  and  boys,  all 
having  proved  to  me  that  they  could  read.  In 
the  afternoon  Faleh  came  to  me  with  three 
men  that  he  said  were  from  Hayel,  the  capital. 
They  were  just  starting  back,  but  each  wanted 
a  Bible  to  take  with  them.  Would  I  give 
them  one  each  ?  I  was  glad  of  this  opportunity 
of  getting  the  Word  taken  on  to  Hayel,  espe- 
cially as  I  could  not  reach  it  myself,  so,  bring- 
ing out  three  nicely  bound  copies,  I  gave  them 
to  the  men,  and  they  left  me  and  started  for 
the  seat  of  government  in  Central  Arabia. 
Some  day  we  may  hear  what  was  done  or 
caused  by  these  three  books  taken  into  this 
stronghold  of  Islam. 

That  afternoon,  late,  I  was  alone  in  my  room, 
when  a  most  unfortunate  affair  happened  that 
nearly  cost  me  my  life,  and  that  more  than 
ever  set  the  majority  of  the  Arabs  in  the  Jowf 
against  the  Christian. 

I  have  already  stated  that  Johar,  the  chief, 
resided  in  a  castle  a  little  distance  off  the  Jowf 
at  the  south  end.  This  castle,  made  of  mud, 
bricks,  and  stones,  had  three  walls,  and  on  each 
corner  of  the  outside  wall  rose  a  lofty  tower 
about  forty  feet  high.  The  apartments  of 


226    A  CALAMITY  NEARLY   COST  ME   MY   LIFE 

Johar  were  in  the  centre  of  these  walls.  These 
towers  were  for  the  purpose  of  defence. 

The  morning  of  the  day  I  am  writing  about 
there  had  been  rain  and  a  strong  wind  blow- 
ing from  the  east.  The  rain  had  thoroughly 
soaked  the  exposed  side  of  one  of  the  towers, 
and,  being  only  mud  brick,  had  softened  it  to 
such  an  extent  that  it  fell.  Unfortunately  it 
fell  in  and  not  out,  and,  to  make  matters  worse, 
crushed  the  apartment  in  which  Johar  was 
sitting  reading  the  Koran,  and  the  much  re- 
vered and  feared  governor  of  the  Jowf  was 
buried  under  the  accumulation  of  rubbish. 

Sitting  alone  in  my  room,  I  heard  shrieking 
and  shouting  outside.  I  went  to  the  outer 
gate  and  saw  men  and  boys  running  toward 
the  castle,  and  I  wondered  what  had  happened 
to  cause  such  excitement  in  the  Jowf.  I  soon 
learned  what  had  happened,  but  thought  best 
to  stay  where  I  was.  Johar  was,  after  a  time, 
rescued  and  dragged  out  from  the  debris.  It 
was  soon  found  that  a  leg  was  broken,  and  that 
he  was  cut  and  bruised  badly.  As  he  lay  on 
the  sand  of  the  courtyard  of  his  castle  some 
one  remarked,  "  This  is  the  Christian's  doing ; 
he  must  have  been  out  and  looked  at  the  tower 
and  affected  it  so  that  it  has  fallen ;  it  is  the' 
beginning  of  evil."  This  was  like  a  spark  to 


A  CALAMITY  NEARLY  COST   ME  MY   LIFE    227 

a  keg  of  gunpowder.  It  was  quickly  agreed 
to  be  my  doing,  and  the  cry  was  raised,  "  Let 
us  kill  the  Christian."  As  I  stood  at  the  gate 
of  the  court  I  saw  the  crowd  come  round  the 
corner,  and  heard  the  yell,  "  Kill  him,  kill  him, 
the  Christian,  the  Christian  !  "  They  had  clubs 
and  daggers  and  some  revolvers.  On  they 
came,  nearer  and  nearer.  I  did  not  run  away ; 
to  have  done  so  might  have  meant  death,  and 
would  have  appeared  as  if  I  had  done  some- 
thing. When  they  got  within  about  eighty 
yards  of  me,  Providence  interposed.  Three 
men  came  from  behind  and  ranged  themselves 
in  front  of  me,  crying  out,  with  their  revolvers 
in  their  hands,  "  Not  one  of  you  come  near  this 
Christian."  The  crowd  stopped,  and  I  was 
slowly  backed  into  my  room,  the  three  men 
remaining  at  the  door.  The  crowd  soon 
melted  away,  and  my  deliverers  came  in  to  me. 
I  thanked  them  for  their  kind  and  ready  help 
and  asked  what  led  them  to  act  as  they  did. 
Their  answer  was  a  good  one.  "  We  have 
been  to  India  and  have  seen  Christians  there, 
and  know  that  they  work  harm  to  no  man ;  we 
have  also  seen  the  effect  of  the  English  rule 
in  that  land  and  in  Egypt,  and  we  will  always 
help  Christians  when  we  can ;  we  wish  the 
English  would  come  here;  Christians  are 


228    A   CALAMITY   NEARLY  COST   ME   MY   LIFE 

better  than  Moslems.  These  people  of  the 
Jowf  are  ignorant  of  the  ways  of  Christians 
and  would  have  killed  you  if  we  had  not  come 
along  and  defended  you."  Then  my  host  and 
kind  friend,  Faleh,  came,  broken  down  and  cry- 
ing because  of  the  accident  to  his  father.  He 
said,  "  Don't  fear,  Aboo  Jerius,  I  know  this  is 
not  your  doing;  it  was  decreed,  and  had  to 
happen;  I  hope  my  father  won't  die."  Then 
in  came  the  other  two  sons  and  sat  with  me, 
and  I  did  my  best  to  comfort  them.  Next  day 
I  kept  in  or  near  the  house.  Faleh  said  it 
would  be  better.  My  old  chief,  Khy-Khwan, 
was  missing.  I  had  not  seen  him  for  two  days 
and  wondered  what  had  become  of  him. 
Toward  evening  a  man  came  to  me  saying, 
"  Khy-Khwan  has  sent  me  to  bring  you  to  him  ; 
he  is  in  a  house  at  the  other  end  of  the  town ; " 
so,  believing  him,  I  got  up  and  followed  him. 
It  was  quite  half  an  hour's  walk  to  the  house 
I  was  taken  to,  but  no  Khy-Khwan  was  there. 
I  asked  for  him  and  was  told  he  would  come  at 
sunset. 

But  the  sun  set,  and  he  did  not  come.  I  said 
I  would  return  to  my  room,  as  by  the  actions 
and  bearing  of  the  men  about  me  I  suspected 
mischief.  Some  dates  were  brought  and  I  was 
told  to  eat  "  We  will  have  supper  later  on," 


A  CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST   ME   MY   LIFE     229 

they  told  me.  I  ate  a  few  dates  and  made  as 
though  I  would  return,  but  it  was  dark  and  the 
men  would  not  let  me  go.  I  insisted  on  going 
to  Khy-Khwan  or  him  coming  to  me,  but  was 
made  to  sit  down  again.  About  ten  a  dish  of 
food  was  brought  in  and  put  before  me  and  I 
was  told  to  eat.  I  do  not  know  what  it  was. 
I  tasted  it,  but  did  not  like  it,  so  refused  to  eat 
any  more,  and  as  none  of  the  others  were  asked 
to  eat  I  suspected  it  was  poisoned.  At  last  it 
was  carried  out  untouched,  and  they  asked  if  I 
would  sleep.  I  said  "  No."  I  guessed  they 
meant  mischief,  and  had  enticed  me  away  there 
by  saying  my  travelling  chief  wanted  me.  All 
that  night  I  sat  up.  Many  times  they  begged 
me  to  lie  down  and  sleep,  but  I  refused.  At 
last  the  morning  came,  and  as  I  was  preparing 
to  leave  these  men,  I  was  glad  to  see  appear  at 
the  door  the  best  disposed  of  my  three  attend- 
ants. He  said,  "  I  only  missed  you  this  morn- 
ing and  set  out  to  find  you ;  you  must  not  go 
off  alone  like  this."  When  I  got  back,  there 
was  Khy-Khwan  sitting  at  the  fire.  He  said  he 
had  never  sent  for  me ;  so  it  was  a  trap  to  get 
me  alone  and  do  me  harm,  but  it  failed.  We 
had  been  now  many  days  in  the  Jowf,  and  I 
had  disposed  of  a  number  of  Scriptures.  One 
morning,  on  opening  the  door  of  my  room,  I 


230    A  CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST  ME   MY   LIFE 

found  most  of  them  piled  up  in  a  heap,  having 
been  returned  during  the  night.  I  put  them 
inside,  knowing  that  if  I  kept  quiet,  I  should 
find  out  why  they  had  been  brought  back. 
Soon  Faleh  came  to  me,  saying,  "  You  must  not 
be  angry  at  the  books  being  returned ;  my 
father  gave  orders  that  the  people  must  return 
them ;  he  says  there  is  something  bad  in  them." 
I  asked  him  what  it  was.  He  told  me  it  was  in 
the  2d  Psalm,  verse  7,  "  Thou  art  My  Son, 
this  day  have  I  begotten  Thee."  I  said,  "  Many 
others  will  be  glad  to  have  these  books,  but 
why  has  not  your  father  sent  back  his  book  ?  " 
"  He  wants  to  keep  and  read  it,"  was  the  answer 
I  was  glad  to  hear.  That  day  Khy-Khwan  told 
me  we  must  leave  soon.  "  I  wanted  to  stay  a 
month,  but  for  your  sake  we  must  get  away 
soon,"  he  said.  Next  day  the  people  came 
back  and  asked  for  their  books.  I  reminded 
them  of  what  Johar  had  said.  Their  answer 
was,  "  We  have  done  as  we  were  told  and 
returned  the  books ;  we  were  not  ordered  not  to 
take  them  a  second  time.  Give  them  back  to 
us,  and  we  will  hide  them  until  you  are  gone 
away."  So  I  gave  them  the  books  again  and 
heard  no  more  of  them.  That  afternoon  I 
went  to  the  castle  to  say  good-by  to  Johar,  as 
we  were  to  leave  early  next  day.  I  was  kept 


A  CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST   ME   MY   LIFE    231 

at  the  castle  door  whilst  word  was  given  him  I 
was  there.  I  was  allowed  inside  and  saw  the 
old  man  lying  on  a  bed  on  the  mud  floor  in 
one  corner  of  a  large  room. 

Many  men  were  sitting  with  him.  I  was  not 
permitted  to  go  near  him,  so  from  the  doorway 
said,  "  I  am  journeying  to-morrow  and  came  to 
say  farewell ;  thank  you  for  your  kindness ;  may 
God  grant  you  peace  and  soon  restore  you  and 
your  leg."  Then  a  hand  was  put  on  my  arm, 
and  I  was  led  away  outside  the  castle.  Thus 
ended  my  intercourse  with  Johar,  aboo  Amber, 
the  much  respected  and  feared  chief  over  the 
town  and  district  of  the  Jowf.  I  have  heard  no 
more  of  him  from  that  time  up  to  the  present. 
Maybe  some  time  in  the  future  I  shall  return  to 
those  parts ;  past  experiences  encourage  me  to 
do  so,  believing  that  on  a  second  visit  I  should 
fare  better.  That  night  I  had  gone  to  rest  and 
was  asleep  when  I  was  aroused  by  men  shouting 
outside  the  door.  I  got  up,  and  upon  opening 
the  door  found  two  men,  and  by  the  light  of  a 
tiny  lamp  they  had  I  saw  that  between  them 
they  were  bearing  something  in  a  sack.  They 
pushed  their  way  in  and  deposited  their  burden 
on  the  floor,  saying,  "  Faleh  has  sent  you  these 
dates  to  eat  on  the  journey.  He  may  not  see 
you  in  the  morning,  so  he  sends  '  salaams ' 


232     A  CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST   ME  MY   LIFE 

[respects]  and  wishes  you  a  safe  journey." 
They  emptied  the  dates,  about  two  bushels, 
into  my  largest  saddle-bags,  and  then  produced 
a  good-sized  skin  of  dates,  saying,  "  These  are 
from  Faleh  also ;  they  are  for  your  wife  and 
children  in  Jerusalem ;  you  must  carry  them  to 
them  with  many  *  salaams.' 3: 

Next  morning  I  was  up  early  and  saw  that 
preparations  were  being  made  for  a  start,  but 
ere  we  set  out  my  companion  Khy-Khwan  and 
myself  had  six  invitations  to  breakfast,  which 
we  accepted,  eating  a  little  at  each  house.  On 
returning  to  our  lodging,  the  camels  were  at  the 
door  ready  loaded.  Faleh  was  on  hand,  and 
with  him  a  bag  of  warm  bread,  which  he  gave 
me,  saying,  "  It  will  serve  you  a  few  days,  and 
help  you  over  the  desert." 

Farewells  were  exchanged,  and  with  mingled 
feelings  of  joy  and  regret  we  rode  off.  Faleh 
was  very  kind  to  me  all  the  time  I  was  there. 
Every  morning  about  ten  o'clock  he  would  come 
or  send  for  me  and  take  me  on  to  the  roof, 
three  stories  up,  and  give  me  a  good  breakfast 
of  bread,  date  syrup,  native  butter,  and  milk. 
This  was  the  best  fare  the  Jowf  could  produce. 
"  Eat  and  enjoy  it ;  we  don't  give  such  to  or- 
dinary guests ;  you  are  my  friend,  hence  bread," 
was  always  his  set  speech.  He  would  sit  and 


A  DATE  PALM  WITH  FRUIT  RIPE  UNTO  HARVEST 

The  date  is  to  the  Arab  what  bread  is  to  the  European.  There  are  many  varieties  and 
sizes.  The  bunches  hanging  on  the  palm  shown  above  would  make  a  heavy  load  for  a 
man  to  carry.  No  part  of  the  palm-tree  is  wasted;  ropes,  mats,  baskets  and  boards 
are  produced  from  it.  Even  the  date  stones  are  utilized.  After  soaking  they  become 
soft  and  make  good  feed  for  the  cattle. 


A   CALAMITY   NEARLY   COST   ME   MY   LIFE    233 

eat  with  me,  not  being  afraid  to  put  his  hand 
in  the  same  dish  as  the  Christian.  He  told  me 
he  had  been  twice  to  Mecca,  and  I  observed 
he  was  most  careful  to  remember  the  times  of 
prayer. 

Arriving  at  the  north  extremity  of  the  town, 
the  caravan  was  waiting  for  us.  Khy-Khwan 
got  down,  kissed  the  men  all  round,  and  then 
gave  the  word  to  start.  With  ejaculations  to 
Allah,  —  God,  —  Abraham,  and  Mohammed  to 
prosper  and  protect  them,  we  said  farewell  to 
the  Jowf  and  its  fertile  gardens  and  shady  palm 
groves. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

EXCITING  TIMES    IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN 

FOR  four  days  we  journeyed  over  the  desert 
without  finding  water.  We  had  expected 
to  find  surface  water,  but  were  disappointed. 
Two  hours  after  sunset  on  the  fourth  day  water 
was  found  in  a  large  basin  in  some  rocks  that 
we  had  come  amongst.  It  was  dirty  and  strong, 
caused  by  camels  having  bathed  and  stood  in 
it  during  the  day,  and  ere  we  could  fill  our 
skins  our  camels  pushed  their  way  in,  stirring 
up  the  sediment  and  adding  to  the  filth.  We 
were  thankful  for  the  find  and  drank  freely, 
also  using  it  for  making  bread. 

The  next  day,  whilst  on  the  move,  my  camel 
dropped  down  under  me  and  refused  to  get  up 
again.  I  called  some  of  the  men,  and  they, 
seeing  tears  streaming  from  the  beast's  eyes, 
informed  me,  "Your  camel  is  drunk  —  cannot 
walk  because  it  is  giddy."  It  had  been  eating 
some  herb  that  had  made  it  so.  They  called 
for  water,  damped  some  grass,  and  tied  it  on 

234 


EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN    235 

the  beast's  head,  then  set  about  making  a  syrup 
of  some  dates,  mixing  in  salt  and  flour.  Hav- 
ing prepared  this  draught,  the  camel's  mouth 
was  held  open  and  the  mixture  poured  down  its 
throat.  In  about  half  an  hour  the  tears  ceased 
flowing,  and  the  now  sober  beast  got  up  and 
went  on  with  the  others.  That  night  we  found 
a  pool  of  water,  worse  than  the  other,  and 
camped  not  far  from  it.  Next  day  we  had  a 
fright  by  seeing  a  man  in  the  distance  coming 
toward  us.  Some  of  our  men  went  off  to  meet 
him,  not  knowing  if  he  were  the  scout  of  friend 
or  foe.  They  brought  the  poor  fellow  in  with 
them.  He  could  not  speak.  He  signed  for 
a  drink,  which  was  given  him.  Then  he  told  us 
that  he  was  one  of  nine  that  had  started  out 
over  the  desert  with  their  camels,  well  provided 
with  food  and  water,  but  they  had  been  met  by 
robbers  who  had  taken  everything  from  them, 
and  for  eight  days  they  had  been  without  food 
or  drink.  His  companions  were  lying  helpless 
on  the  sand  some  distance  off.  They  had  seen 
us  in  the  distance,  and  he  being  the  strongest 
had  come  after  us.  A  skin  of  water,  some  flour, 
and  dates  were  given  him,  and  we  left  him  re- 
joicing in  his  good  fate. 

That  evening,  as  we  camped  in  a  valley  full 
of  brushwood  and  stones,  we  had  another  alarm, 


236    EXCITING  TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN 

which,  happily,  ended  peaceably.  The  men 
were  seated  round  the  fires  when  the  word  was 
passed  round  that  voices  had  been  heard  com- 
ing up  the  valley.  All  were  silent,  and,  sure 
enough,  on  the  still  night  we  could  distinctly 
hear  the  sound  of  men  talking.  Those  of  our 
party  that  had  arms  got  ready  for  an  attack. 
The  fires  were  quickly  douted  by  sand  being 
thrown  over  them.  We  were  ready  for  what- 
ever might  come.  As  no  one  came  down  on 
us  our  men  went  out  to  find  out  who  was 
about.  Soon  we  heard  the  report  of  the  guns 
and  guessed  that  the  sound  of  voices  had  come 
from  enemies.  But  following  the  firing  of  the 
guns  came  the  welcome  shout :  "  Friends ! 
friends ! "  In  about  ten  minutes  our  men  re- 
turned, bringing  with  them  twelve  of  the 
wildest-looking  fellows  it  was  possible  to  come 
across. 

One  look  at  them  was  sufficient  to  tell  that 
they  had  suffered  privation  and  fatigue.  The 
fires  were  relighted,  and  conversation  began 
again.  Coffee  was  given  the  newcomers ;  then 
they  told  their  story,  which  in  brief  was  as 
follows :  They  had  set  out  from  the  Jowf  two 
weeks  before,  intending  to  get  to  Damascus 
and  find  work.  They  had  no  camels,  but  suf- 
ficient food  to  last  if  all  went  well,  and  skins 


EXCITING  TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND  TOWN    237 

to  carry  water  if  they  found  it,  as  they  supposed 
they  would.  The  skins  they  had  with  them 
were  hard  and  cracked,  proving  their  long  fast 
from  drink. 

Not  knowing  the  way  any  too  well,  they  got 
off  the  track  and  were  lost  in  the  desert.  Food 
and  drink  were  finished.  For  five  days  they 
had  been  wandering  about  hungry,  thirsty,  and 
weary.  That  day  they  came  across  the  foot- 
prints of  our  camels  and  men,  had  followed  them, 
and  so  overtaken  us  as  we  were  camped.  Bread 
was  made  for  them,  and,  whilst  baking,  I  took 
them  a  good  lump  of  my  dates,  for  which  they 
were  grateful.  Next  morning  they  journeyed  on 
with  us,  and  the  next  day,  the  noon  of  the  tenth 
since  leaving  the  Jowf,  we  saw  in  the  distance 
the  palms  of  Ithera  once  again.  We  had  been 
absent  thirty-three  days,  instead  of  thirty-five, 
as  Khy-Khwan  had  said  we  should.  On  arriv- 
ing at  Ithera,  the  first  thing  I  noticed  was  the 
absence  of  the  tent  that  sheltered  the  diseased 
man.  I  suppose  he  had  died  and  the  tent  had 
been  removed.  After  a  few  hours'  rest  Khy- 
Khwan,  who  had  faithfully  completed  the  con- 
tract made  for  the  four  gold  pieces,  came  to 
me,  and  leading  me  a  little  distance  away  from 
the  guest-room  showed  me  a  small  hut  built  of 
mud  brick,  with  a  door  about  three  feet  high  and 


238    EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN 

two  wide,  and  told  me  it  was  to  be  my  lodging 
place  as  long  as  I  stayed  at  Ithera.  I  told  him 
I  should  like  to  get  away  as  soon  as  I  could.  I 
had  been  away  from  my  home  and  friends  for 
some  months,  and  no  news  had  been  exchanged 
between  us.  There  was  no  opportunity.  I 
went  into  the  hut ;  it  was  very  dirty  and  dusty. 
Lying  about  were  old  earthen  jars  and  a  few 
rough,  wooden  boxes.  These  had  some  old  dates 
in  them,  and  I  was  told  I  could  eat  all  I  wanted. 
The  dust  on  the  floor  was  inches  deep.  I 
carried  my  two  saddle-bags  up  there  and  sat 
down.  Evening  came  and  I  was  given  a  bowl 
of  water  and  a  little  bread.  No  light  was 
brought,  so  I  went  in  search  of  Khy-Khwan 
and  asked  him  for  a  lamp,  and  something  to 
lie  on  and  cover  myself  with.  These  were 
refused  me,  and  I  was  told  to  return  to  my 
place.  I  did  so,  and  being  weary  I  lay  down  in 
the  dust,  put  a  large  mud  brick  for  a  pillow,  and 
tried  to  sleep.  But  I  soon  found  I  was  not 
alone  ;  creepers  were  in  abundance.  I  felt  them 
on  my  face  and  hands,  got  up  and  struck  one 
of  my  precious  matches,  and  revealed  a  variety 
of  creeping  things,  including  scorpions  and 
lizards.  The  situation  was  not  inviting,  and  I 
could  only  keep  on  the  move  all  that  night  and 
wait  for  the  morning.  At  last  it  came,  and  I 


EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN    239 

sought  out  Khy-Khwan  and  told  him  he  must 
send  me  on  my  way  home.  I  would  not  stay 
in  the  hut  he  had  consigned  me  to.  He  said 
he  was  going  my  way  in  three  or  four  days, 
and  we  would  journey  together.  He  took  me 
to  his  house  and  told  his  wife  she  was  to  give 
me  breakfast.  I  then  went  among  the  men  of 
the  place,  asking  if  any  of  them  would  go  with 
me  to  Orman,  a  six  days'  journey.  They  all  had 
one  answer,  "  Give  three  English  pounds  a 
day  [fifteen  dollars],  and  we  will  convey  you  to 
Orman."  I  soon  found  that  a  price  had  been 
fixed  for  me  to  pay  to  any  one  that  I  could  ar- 
range with.  Almost  every  day  of  the  eleven  I 
was  detained  by  the  immovability  of  the  people. 
I  saw  companies  of  men  leave  for  the  districts 
north  and  west.  If  they  had  been  able  to  pro- 
vide me  a  camel  to  ride,  I  might  have  gone  with 
them,  but  they  were  walking.  I  made  friends 
with  one  man,  who,  I  think,  pitied  me.  He 
would  go  with  me  into  the  palm  groves  and  tell 
me  all  about  the  treatment  of  the  palm.  I 
learned  some  interesting  things,  helping  me  to 
understand  Psalm  xcii.  1 2  in  much  of  its  teach- 
ing. The  palm  is  useful,  beautiful,  fruitful 
when  joined  to  another,  grows  from  inside  and 
not  from  the  exterior,  rejoices  the  heart  of  man, 
and  other  things,  all  possible  to  the  righteous. 


240    EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN 

The  same  man  took  me  out  and  showed  me 
how  the  Arabs  there,  as  well  as  at  Kaf,  pro- 
cured the  salt  they  sold  to  the  caravans.  In 
the  sand  were  many  springs  of  strong  brine. 
This  was  ladled  up  and  poured  into  beds  on 
the  sand,  and  allowed  to  remain  until  nearly 
all  the  moisture  had  evaporated.  Then  a  man 
with  a  basket  and  a  board  waded  into  the 
deposit  and  scraped  up  the  snow-white  crystals. 
These  were  put  up  in  heaps  to  dry,  and  then 
carried  to  the  village  and  stored  in  bins  of  mud 
brick  to  await  buyers.  The  money  value  of  a 
camel  load  of  salt  was  about  thirty  cents. 

During  three  days  of  my  enforced  stay  there 
I  had  fever,  but  no  one  cared.  The  nights 
were  the  worst  part  of  the  time.  I  could  hear 
the  creepers  moving  about  overhead  and  around 
me,  and  one  morning  saw  in  the  dust  distinct 
traces  of  a  snake  that  had  passed  by  me.  I  felt 
that  I  was  a  prisoner  and  that  the  story  of  the 
chief  going  my  way  was  all  false.  He  hoped 
the  delay  would  have  made  me  offer  money, 
but  I  had  none  to  offer,  for  all  had  been  taken 
from  me,  as  well  as  my  shoes,  kettle,  soap,  comb, 
towel,  underclothes,  and  many  other  things  all 
useful  to  me. 

One  morning  I  saw  a  man  come  in  that  I 
had  seen  in  Kaf.  I  went  to  him,  and  he  told 


EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN    241 

me  what  I  had  heard  the  third  day  of  my  ar- 
rival, viz.  that  the  chief  of  Kaf  was  away. 
Had  he  been  at  home,  I  would  have  walked 
over  to  Kaf  and  thrown  myself  on  his  mercy. 
At  last  I  made  up  my  mind  to  tackle  Khy- 
Khwan  in  earnest.  It  was  the  morning  of  the 
eleventh  day.  I  found  him  and  said,  "  If  you 
don't  send  me  away  to-day,  I  will  start  out  into 
the  desert  alone,  and  if  I  die,  my  blood  will  be 
upon  you." 

He  began  to  excuse  himself,  but  I  kept  at 
him.  At  last  he  said,  "  Well,  I  will  send  you 
away;  and  may  you  never  return  again  !  "  He 
called  a  man  and  told  him  to  go  and  bring  a 
beast  for  me.  In  about  an  hour  a  poor,  skinny 
donkey  was  brought  that  could  hardly  carry  my 
now  almost  empty  saddle-bags. 

I  asked  for  a  camel  so  that  I  might  ride,  but 
was  told  I  must  walk.  So,  minus  breakfast  and 
farewells,  I  set  off  with  this  unknown  man. 
He  had  been  told  that  he  was  to  leave  me  with 
the  first  lot  of  Arabs  he  came  across. 

Walking  through  heavy  sand  under  a  hot 
sun  was  hard  work,  and  after  two  hours  I  gave 
in  and  sank  down  on  the  sand  exhausted.  The 
man  was  a  little  ahead  with  the  donkey ;  I 
called  to  him,  and  he  stopped,  took  the  bags  off 
the  donkey,  and  turned  all  the  contents  on  to 


242    EXCITING  TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND  TOWN 

the  sand.  He  handled  the  boxes  of  exposed 
plates,  and  their  weight  made  him  think  it  was 
money.  With  his  dagger  he  ripped  open  two 
boxes  and  emptied  two  dozen  plates  out  on  the 
sand,  not  knowing  what  to  make  of  such  things. 
He  -appropriated  my  last  pair  of  socks,  some 
papers,  and  a  jar  of  beef  tea,  thinking  it  was 
ointment.  An  empty  soup  tin  I  had  kept  to 
boil  a  drop  of  water  in  he  took.  Having  buried 
these  things  in  the  sand,  he  came  back  to  me 
and  told  me  to  get  up  and  follow  or  he  should 
go  and  leave  me ;  I  rose  and  hobbled  after  him, 
keeping  it  up  for  two  hours,  although  in  agony 
from  aching  limbs  and  thirst.  At  last  we  saw 
in  the  distance  a  palm  and  pitched  near  it,  an 
Arab  house.  Never  was  a  sight  more  welcome, 
or  a  shelter  so  acceptable.  The  owner  of  the 
tent  came  out  to  me  and  carried  in  the  bags, 
then  helped  me  in,  and  gave  me  a  corner  in  the 
tent.  The  children,  nearly  naked,  and  his  four 
wives,  sat  down  near  me  and  watched  me,  giv- 
ing vent  to  expressions  of  pity  for  me  and 
curses  and  oaths  for  those  who  had  thus 
treated  me.  Some  dates  were  given  me  to 
eat  and  some  dirty  butter  to  help  them  down. 
I  stayed  five  days  with  these  simple  people  of 
the  desert,  and  they  showed  me  no  small 
kindness. 


•"OTOGRAPH   BY  A.  FORDER 

AN  ARAB   WOMAN   CHURNING  BUTTER 

'he  Arabs  make  many  things  from  milk,  which  is  plentiful  in  the  springtime.  Here  is  seen 
very  primitive  churn, —  it  is  a  sheepskin  slung  on  a  tripod.  By  being  jerked  to  and  fro,  the 
it  in  the  milk  accumulates  and  becomes  butter,  which  is  eateri  with  dates  and  considered  a 
reat  luxury, 


EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT  AND  TOWN    243 

On  the  fifth  day  a  party  of  men  with  camels 
came  to  the  tent.  They  were  on  their  way  to 
Damascus.  I  had  hoped  to  be  able  to  go  due 
west  and  so  reach  Jerusalem,  but  it  was  im- 
possible. So  after  much  bickering  with  the 
leader  of  the  party,  composed  of  twelve  camels 
and  eighteen  men,  he  consented  to  take  me  on 
to  Orman  on  payment  of  about  two  dollars. 
But  I  had  no  money,  and  he  insisted  on  pay- 
ment beforehand.  I  told  him  I  had  money  at 
Orman,  and  at  last  he  said  he  would  let  me 
ride  on  the  top  of  one  of  the  loads ;  so  I  set 
off  on  another  stage  of  my  homeward  journey. 
All  went  well  for  the  first  two  days ;  the  men 
were  a  decent  lot  and  kindly  disposed.  On 
the  third  morning  I  got  up,  ready  for  an  early 
start  as  usual,  but  was  told  that  six  of  the 
camels  had  strayed  away  during  the  night  and 
some  of  the  men  had  gone  off  to  look  for  them. 
We  wasted  that  day  staying  where  we  were,  but 
no  trace  of  the  camels  could  be  found,  so  the 
six  loads  of  salt,  twelve  sacks,  were  emptied  out 
on  the  sand,  the  sacks  buried,  and  it  was  settled 
to  start  about  midnight.  The  next  two  days 
passed  and  I  asked  when  we  should  reach 
Orman.  The  answer  was, "  We  are  not  going  to 
Orman  ;  I  killed  a  man  there  once  and  I  am 
afraid  to  enter  the  place.  We  will  leave  you 


244    EXCITING  TIMES   IN   DESERT  AND   TOWN 

at  a  village  named  Umm-Rowman,  about  two 
hours  away  from  Orman."  I  was  sorry  to  hear 
this,  as  it  meant  going  among  strangers  again 
and  having  to  arrange  to  get  to  Orman,  and, 
being  moneyless,  it  was  hard  to  do. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  sixth  day  we  came 
to  the  hamlet  of  Umm-Rowman,  the  inhabit- 
ants being  Mohammedans,  Druzes,  and  a  few 
Catholics.  I  was  lodged  with  a  man  known  to 
the  one  that  had  come  with  me,  and  he  made 
arrangements  for  me  to  be  taken  to  Orman, 
and  for  the  man  that  took  me  to  bring  back  the 
money  in  payment  for  my  journey.  Next  day 
I  was  taken  to  Orman,  and  had  a  hearty  wel- 
come from  the  people  I  had  left  many  weeks 
before.  It  was  most  encouraging  to  me  to 
hear  them  say,  "  We  have  never  let  a  day  pass 
without  asking  God  to  keep  you  and  bring  you 
back  to  us  safe  and  well."  Of  course  I  had 
to  tell  them  what  had  taken  place  and  all  that 
had  occurred  on  my  journeys.  The  man  I  had 
left  my  money  with  gave  it  back  to  me  as  I 
had  given  it  to  him. 

I  stayed  a  few  days  with  these  kind  people, 
and  was  besieged  for  Scriptures,  but  I  was  sold 
out.  Then,  mounted  on  a  donkey,  in  company 
with  one  man,  I  left  for  Damascus.  The  night 
before  I  left  a  soldier  came  to  the  guest-room 


EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT  AND   TOWN    245 

asking  for  the  Christian  that  had  returned  from 
the  Jowf.  The  official  at  Sulkhud,  the  castle 
and  town  I  had  passed  in  the  fog,  had  heard  of 
me,  and  wanted  to  see  me,  and  I  was  to  take 
him  a  Bible,  if  I  had  one.  So  next  morning  I 
went  over  to  him.  He  was  very  civil ;  told  me 
I  had  done  a  bold  and  dangerous  thing,  and  he 
would  have  stopped  me  had  he  known  about 
me  earlier.  I  did  not  enlighten  him  as  to  how 
I  passed  him  three  months  before.  He  was 
glad  of  the  Bible,  and  told  me  he  wanted  to 
read  it.  Five  days  later  I  looked  down  on 
Damascus,  the  earthly  paradise  of  the  Arab, 
and  soon  after  was  lodged  in  the  home  of  one 
of  my  native  friends  there.  A  hearty  welcome 
was  given  me  by  my  kind  friends,  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Richards,  at  the  British  Consulate.  They  were 
much  relieved  at  my  turning  up  after  so  long  an 
absence.  From  there  I  sent  word  of  my  safe 
return  to  my  family  and  friends,  who,  by  this 
time,  were  getting  anxious  as  to  my  safety. 
Having  rested  a  few  days,  I  set  off  again,  this 
time  under  better  circumstances,  for  my  home 
in  Jerusalem,  and,  after  nine  days'  riding,  at  last 
looked  down  on  the  Holy  City  once  more,  just 
three  and  a  half  months  from  the  time  I  had 
left  it.  The  first  move  toward  Arabia  from  the 
north  was  over;  fifteen  hundred  miles  had 


246    EXCITING   TIMES   IN   DESERT   AND   TOWN 

been  traversed  during  the  journey ;  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty  Arabic  Scriptures  were  sold 
or  distributed  among  these  hitherto  neglected 
people  ;  hundreds  of  leaflets  and  booklets  given 
away,  all  bearing  on  the  plan  of  salvation ;  and 
it  is  not  saying  too  much  to  say  that  many 
hundreds  heard  by  the  spoken  Word  that  with- 
out faith  in  Jesus  the  Son  of  God  there  could 
be  no  forgiveness  of  sin  or  eternal  life.  Look- 
ing back  on  these  accomplishments,  we  ask, 
"  What  will  the  harvest  be  ? "  and,  looking  on, 
wonder  how  long  must  elapse  ere  — 

Arabia's  desert  ranger 

To  Him  will  bend  the  knee, 

and  "  the  kings  —  chiefs  —  of  Sheba  and  Seba 
offer  gifts,  and  fall  down  before  and  serve 
Him"  (Ps.  Ixxii.  10,  n).  If  the  perusal  of 
these  pages  will  lead  the  reader  to  take  an  in- 
terest in  the  inhabitants  of  Kedar,  and  give 
themselves  to  obey  the  command  of  Matthew 
ix.  38,  the  fatigue,  hardships,  and  dangers  of 
my  journeyings  will  be  amply  repaid. 

Let  all  be  in  the  spirit  of  expectation  for  the 
fulfilment  of  Psalm  Ixxii.  9,  when  "  The  dwell- 
ers in  the  desert  shall  bow  before  Him." 


CHAPTER    XXII 

i 

THE    RELIGION    OF    THE    ARABS 

MANY  years  of  close  intercourse  with  the 
Arabs,  of  both  town  and  tent,  have 
given  me  a  fairly  good  insight  into  their  re- 
ligious as  well  as  social  life.  The  religion  of 
Islam,  embraced  by  the  majority  of  the  Arabs, 
is  one  that  holds  its  adherents  as  in  a  vice. 
There  is  nothing  in  it  that  is  ennobling  or 
helpful  to  social  or  domestic  life.  On  the  con- 
trary the  followers  of  Mohammed  are  under  a 
heavy  yoke  because  of  the  requirements  of 
their  religion.  I  will  try  and  give  the  main 
beliefs  of  this  people  to  show  the  reader  how 
earthly  and  exacting  are  the  things  that  the 
Arab  has  to  carry  out  in  order  to  get  the  favor 
of  God  and  Mohammed.  But  first  a  short  ac- 
count of  the  institutor  of  this  religion  with  its 
more  than  two  hundred  millions  of  adherents. 

In  the  sixth  century  the  Jews  and  the  Chris- 
tians had  their  synagogues  and  churches  in 
Arabia.  In  that  land  of  freedom  the  Magians 
reverenced  and  practised  the  doctrines  of  Zoro- 

247 


248  THE   RELIGION   OF  THE  ARABS 

aster,  and  the  Sabians  adored  their  planetary 
deities.  The  worship  of  the  sun,  moon,  and 
fixed  stars  was  the  primitive  religion  of  the 
Arabs,  and  was  a  system  naturally  formed  and 
adopted  by  a  people  who,  in  travelling  through 
immense  deserts,  contemplated  and  were  guided 
by  the  regularity  of  the  motions  of  the  heav- 
enly bodies. 

Of  all  the  various  tribes  of  the  Arabians, 
that  of  the  Koreish  held  the  distinguished 
rank.  To  them  had  been  consigned  the  honor- 
able office  of  guarding  the  Caaba,  the  sacred 
temple  at  Mecca,  and  the  supremacy  in  reli- 
gious affairs  was  accompanied  with  submission 
to  their  temporal  sway.  Of  this  tribe  came 
one,  Abdullah,  who  married  the  fair  Amina  of 
the  noble  tribe  of  the  Zarites,  and  from  them 
came  the  victorious  enthusiast  of  the  east. 
The  dawn  of  Mohammed's  fame  was  dark  with 
many  clouds.  The  death  of  his  father  in  early 
infancy  left  the  future  Lord  of  Arabia  the  pos- 
sessor of  five  camels  and  one  slave.  The  child- 
hood of  Mohammed  was  soon  deprived  of 
maternal  care,  and  he  was  —  so  tradition  says 
—  put  out  to  nurse  with  a  Bedouin  family. 
He  remained  in  obscurity  until  about  twenty- 
five,  when  the  office  of  manager  to  a  wealthy 
widow,  and  soon  the  possession  of  her  hand 


THE   RELIGION   OF  THE   ARABS  249 

and  fortune,  raised  him  to  an  equality  with  any 
in  Mecca. 

When  Mohammed  was  a  youth,  and  before 
he  married,  he  made  several  journeys  with 
yearly  caravans  into  Syria.  When  not  engaged 
in  bartering  or  trading,  he  used  to  visit  a  mon- 
astery near  the  camping-ground  of  the  caravan. 
The  youth  from  the  desert  was  favorably  re- 
ceived by  the  monks,  and  during  his  short  stays 
and  occasional  visits,  they  told  the  thoughtful 
lad  about  the  True  God,  the  maker  of  the  uni- 
verse and  all  that  it  contains.  The  Meccan 
youth  learned  also  from  the  monastery  resi- 
dents that  God  alone  was  to  be  worshipped  and 
none  other.  This  teaching  was  new  to  Mo- 
hammed, and  contrary  to  anything  he  had 
learned  or  seen  among  his  own  people  in  and 
about  Mecca.  Two  results  came  from  the 
teaching  of  the  monks.  First,  the  recovery  of 
all  Arabia  from  idolatry  to  the  worship  of  God, 
and  the  birth  and  spread  of  a  religious  system 
that  has  become  the  greatest  antagonist  Chris- 
tianity has  ever  had  to  contend  with. 

He  had  always  been  remarkable  for  a  serious 
deportment  and  strict  attention  to  devotional 
exercises ;  every  year  he  was  wont  to  retire  for 
a  month  to  a  cave  for  the  purposes  of  fasting, 
prayer,  and  meditation.  Such  a  life  urged  him 


250  THE   RELIGION   OF  THE  ARABS 

at  length  to  proclaim  himself  a  prophet  sent 
from  heaven  to  preach  the  unity  of  the  God- 
head, and  to  restore  to  its  purity  the  religion  of 
Abraham  and  Ishmael.  Thus  was  founded  the 
religion  of  Islam  in  the  year  609  A.D.,  with 
"  There  is  no  God  but  God,  and  Mohammed  is 
His  Messenger"  for  its  simple  creed.  This 
sentence  repeated  in  sincerity  by  any  outsider 
constitutes  him  "  one  of  the  Faithful." 

So  rapid  has  been  the  spread  of  this  religion 
that  there  is  hardly  a  land  to  be  found  without 
its  adherents,  and  that  in  the  short  space  of 
about  1 2  90  years.  The  requirements  of  Islam 
are  many ;  only  a  few  of  the  principal  ones  can 
be  mentioned  in  this  chapter.  First  and  fore- 
most comes 

Prayer 

At  the  appointed  times,  viz.  daybreak,  noon, 
late  afternoon,  sunset,  and  two  hours  later,  the 
Muazzin,  inviter,  with  his  face  turned  toward 
Mecca,  proclaims  at  the  top  of  his  voice  from 
the  gallery  of  the  minaret  that  the  hour  of  de- 
votion has  come.  This  is  the  proclamation: 
"  God  is  great,  God  is  great,  God  is  great,  there 
is  no  God  but  God,  and  Mohammed  is  His 
Messenger;  come  to  prayer,  Great  God,  there 
is  no  God  but  God."  In  the  morning  he  adds, 


THE   RELIGION   OF  THE   ARABS  251 

"  Prayer  is  better  than  sleep,  prayer  is  better 
than  sleep."  As  soon  as  the  voice  of  the  crier 
is  heard  the  devout  Moslem  prepares  for 
prayer.  Ministers  of  State  suspend  business; 
the  tradesman  gives  up  his  dealings  with  his 
customers  and  converts  his  shop  into  a  mosque. 
In  four  or  five  positions  the  prayers  are  re- 
peated ;  these  prayers  are  merely  a  vain  repeti- 
tion of  the  first  chapter  of  the  Koran,  with 
petitions  added  for  the  prophet  and  patriarchs, 
and  being  interpreted  would  mean  — 

In  the  name  of  God,  the  Merciful,  the  Compassionate. 

Praise  be  to  God  who  the  two  worlds  made ; 

Thee  do  we  entreat,  and  Thee  do  we  supplicate ; 

Lead  us  in  the  way,  the  straight, 

The  way  of  those  on  whom  Thou  hast  compassion, 

Not  of  those  on  whom  is  hate, 

Nor  those  that  turn  aside.  —  AMEN. 

Purification  or  Ablution 

No  religious  act  is  acceptable  to  God  un- 
less the  body,  not  heart,  has  previously  been 
cleansed.  In  the  courtyards  of  all  mosques 
are  to  be  found  cisterns  or  fountains,  to  which 
the  faithful  resort  to  prepare  themselves  for 
the  prayers.  The  face,  arms,  and  feet  have  to 
be  well  washed,  and  whilst  this  operation  is  in 
progress,  the  devotee  is  muttering  short  ejacu- 


252  THE   RELIGION   OF   THE   ARABS 

lations  to  the  effect  that  Satan  may  be  removed 
far  from  him.  The  Koran  permits  the  traveller, 
in  place  of  water,  to  rub  the  prescribed  parts 
with  sand  and  so  cleanse  himself  from  all  out- 
ward defilement.  Having  no  water  near  at  hand 
ofttimes  makes  a  good  excuse  to  omit  prayers 
and  go  on  with  some  more  urgent  business; 
even  in  the  desert  the  hour  of  prayer  is  faithfully 

observed. 

Fasting 

In  the  religion  of  Islam  fasts  take  an  impor- 
tant place,  but  none  so  important  as  the  Fast 
of  Rumathan,  observed  in  remembrance  of  the 
yearly  visit  of  Mohammed  to  a  cave  to  medi- 
tate, pray,  and  fast  for  a  month,  during  which 
period  the  Koran  was  revealed  to  him.  Perfect 
abstinence  from  every  kind  of  support  to  the 
body  is  commanded,  from  the  rising  to  the  set- 
ting of  the  sun.  The  pious  pass  the  hours  in 
meditation  and  prayer,  the  careless  grandee 
sleeps  the  tedious  time  away,  whilst  the  indus- 
trious mechanic  or  husbandman,  compelled  to 
work,  feels  the  rigor  of  the  fast.  Night,  minus 
the  light,  is  turned  into  day,  and  vice  versa. 
When  the  fast  falls  on  a  month  in  the  summer, 
with  its  long  days  and  extreme  heat,  the  absti- 
nence is  almost  intolerable  ;  men  get  fretty  and 
cross,  and  ofttimes  are  sorely  tempted  secretly  to 


THE   RELIGION   OF   THE   ARABS  253 

give  way  and   break   the  fast.     The  Feast  of 
Rumathan  is  the  most  important  time  of  the 

year. 

Pilgrimage 

The  feast  being  past,  the  pilgrimage  to  Mecca 
begins  to  occupy  the  mind  of  the  faithful.  The 
men  of  rank,  weakly  through  ill-health,  or  tied 
by  business,  perform  this  arduous  duty  by  the 
sending  and  devotions  of  a  substitute.  The 
desert  journey  is  more  acceptable  to  God  as 
entailing  more  fatigue,  danger,  and  expense, 
and  consequently  is  more  meritorious.  On 
arriving  at  the  precincts  of  the  Holy  Land,  a 
prescribed  circle  around  Mecca,  the  pilgrim 
must  make  an  entire  ablution  with  water  and 
sand,  repeat  a  prayer  almost  naked,  clothe  him- 
self with  the  Ihram,  or  sacred  garment,  and 
sandals  to  defend  the  soles  of  his  feet  from  the 
hot  sand.  So-called  spiritual  meditation  is  now 
the  employment,  worldly  occupations  and  pleas- 
ures being  forbidden.  Many  are  the  ceremo- 
nies and  observances  of  the  days  spent  at  Mecca. 
The  offering  of  sacrifices  on  Mount  Ararat,  in 
commemoration  of  the  offering  up  of  Ish- 
mael,  not  Isaac,  according  to  Arab  belief  by 
Abraham,  and  stoning  the  devil  are  two  of  the 
principal  things  of  the  pilgrimage  at  Mecca. 
The  return  of  the  pilgrim  to  his  far-away  town 


254  THE   RELIGION   OF  THE   ARABS 

and  village  is  a  time  of  general  rejoicing,  and 
forever  after  the  pilgrim  is  a  much-honored 
man. 

Almsgiving 

One  of  the  early  caliphs  said,  "  Prayer  car- 
ries us  halfway  to  God,  fasting  brings  us  to 
the  door  of  his  palace,  and  alms  procure  us 
admission."  A  tenth  part  of  the  property 
which  has  been  for  twelve  months  in  the  pos- 
session of  an  individual  is  the  demand  on  his 
charity  by  the  Mohammedan  law.  The  duty 
of  almsgiving  is  not,  however,  considered  to  be 
performed  in  all  its  extent.  The  productions 
of  cornfields,  olive  groves,  and  vineyards  are 
not  gathered  in  the  East  with  minute  scrupu- 
losity. To  the  poor  are  assigned  the  gleanings. 
Mohammed  permits  his  followers  to  enjoy  corn, 
dates,  olives,  pomegranates,  and  all  other  bless- 
ings, but  commands  that  in  the  harvest  and 
vintage  the  poor  shall  have  their  share.  A 
Mohammedan  never  refuses  food  to  one  that 
begs  for  such,  and  ofttimes  accompanies  the  gift 
with  a  coin.  On  feast  days  they  are  unusually 
liberal. 

Meditation 

The  sacred  book  of  the  Mohammedans  is 
the  Koran,  believed  to  have  been  bound  in 


THE   RELIGION   OF   THE   ARABS  255 

sections  in  silk  and  adorned  with  gems.  It 
contains  the  substance  of  Mohammed's  pre- 
tended revelations  from  heaven,  which  were 
given  to  him  in  his  yearly  visits  to  a  cave  dur- 
ing the  month  called  Rumathan.  The  sub- 
stance of  the  revelations  was  inscribed  on  blade 
bones,  leaves  of  palm  trees,  and  the  skins  of 
animals.  A  copy  of  these  fragments  was  in- 
trusted to  the  charge  of  one  of  Mohammed's 
favored  wives,  and  was  eventually  put  into 
volume  form.  The  Koran  is  divided  into  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  chapters,  and  these  again 
into  verses.  The  Mohammedans  are  supposed 
never  to  touch  or  read  this  book  without  wash- 
ing their  hands,  neither  must  it  be  held  below 
the  waist. 

The  teachings  of  the  Koran  are  many:  No 
God  but  God ;  four  angels  of  great  importance, 
and  so  to  be  had  in  dread  —  Gabriel,  Michael, 
Azriel,  the  angel  of  death,  and  Israfeel,  the 
angel  of  the  resurrection ;  prophets  and  Scrip- 
tures, the  latter  of  which  contained  God's  will 
for  man,  but  they  have  been  entirely  lost,  and 
what  now  exists  is  only  a  fabrication  written 
and  framed  to  suit  the  Christian  religion.  The 
Koran  teaches  that  Jesus  the  Son,  not  of  God, 
but  of  Mary,  was  the  last  prophet  of  the  Jews, 
the  true  Messias,  the  worker  of  miracles,  and 


256  THE   RELIGION   OF  THE   ARABS 

preacher  of  righteousness;  but  the  crucifixion 
is  denied.  Jesus  escaped  from  the  Jews  and  was 
caught  up  into  heaven,  and  another  in  his  form 
and  image  suffered  on  the  cross.  Although 
the  divinity  and  atonement  of  Christ  are 
denied,  they  do  admit  that  he  was  born  in  a 
miraculous  manner  at  the  command  of  God. 
Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  in  this  so-called  reli- 
gion God's  plan  of  salvation  is  ignored  and  in 
its  place  nothing  substituted. 

The  Moslem,  if  honest,  will  admit  that  in  his 
religion  there  is  no  salvation  from  sin,  but  com- 
forts himself  with  the  assurance,  "  God  is  merci- 
ful —  I  will  be  as  good  as  I  can  and  leave  the 
rest  to  Mohammed."  A  paradise  full  of  every- 
thing to  satisfy  the  sensual  gratification  of  the 
follower  of  the  Koran  is  promised  to  him  who 
faithfully  observes  the  commands  of  God  and 
his  prophet.  In  contradiction  to  the  seventh 
day  observed  by  the  Jews  and  the  first  day 
kept  by  the  Christians,  the  founder  of  Islam 
commanded  that  the  Friday  be  set  apart  for 
worship  and  teaching,  hence  the  name  "  Yowm- 
el-Jumma,"  the  day  of  gathering.  All  that  are 
able  must  attend  the  service  at  noonday  to 
listen  to  the  sermon  given  by  the  religious 
head  of  the  place.  In  the  towns  of  the  East 
one  can  ofttimes  see  fishing-nets  spread  over 


VIEW  ON  THE  RIVER  ABANA,   DAMASCUS 

One  of  the  attractions  of  Damascus  is  the  beautiful  river  that  flows  through  it,  turning 
mills  and  looms,  and  causing  many  acres  of  land  to  produce  large  crops.  On  the  banks  of 
the  river  are  many  beautiful  garde'ns,  and  groves  of  fruit  trees,  under  which  the  natives  sit 
and  pass  much  of  their  time.  The  Abana  rises  in  the  Lebanon. 


THE   RELIGION   OF  THE   ARABS  257 

the   entrance   to   a   store,    meaning    that    the 
keeper  of  the  place  is  gone  to  prayers. 

This  short  sketch  will  give  the  reader  a 
simple  idea  of  the  religion  and  requirements 
of  Islam.  Surely  the  conclusion  must  be  that 
these  people  are  as  far  from  the  salvation  of 
God  as  the  heathen  of  the  islands  of  the  sea, 
and  are  as  much  in  need  of  the  gospel  being 
preached  to  them  as  any  other  of  the  "  all  the 
world."  "  Pray  ye  therefore  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  "  for  these  who  are  in  the  bondage  and 
darkness  of  Islam. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

CUSTOMS    SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

IT  is  not  my  purpose  to  enter  into  all  the 
details  of  the  everyday  life  and  manners  of 
the  Arabs,  but  only  to  mention  a  few  that 
stand  out  prominently  among  many  others, 
which  have  their  origin  in  the  scriptures.  It 
is  interesting  to  remember  that,  although  the 
foregoing  are  in  daily  practice,  it  is  not  because 
the  people  get  their  instructions  from  the  Bible; 
with  them  it  has  been  the  custom  for  thou- 
sands of  years,  and  has  been  passed  down  from 
generation  to  generation.  The  perusal  of  these 
things  also  makes  the  Bible  very  real  and, 
without  doubt,  true.  Being  in  close  touch 
with  these  people  of  the  East  and  the  land  of 
the  Bible  gives  special  facility  for  the  study 
of  everyday  life. 

Hiding  Valuables 

Genesis  xxxv.  4 :  "  And  they  gave  unto  Jacob 
all  the  strange  gods  which  were  in  their  hand, 
and  all  their  earrings  which  were  in  their  ears, 

258 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     259 

and  Jacob  hid  them  under  the  oak  which  was 
by  Shechem."  Joshua  vii.  21:"  When  I  saw 
among  the  spoils  a  goodly  Babylonish  garment, 
and  two  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and  a  wedge 
of  gold  of  fifty  shekels  weight,  then  I  coveted 
them,  and  took  them ;  and,  behold,  they  are  hid 
in  the  midst  of  my  tent."  Hidden  treasure  is 
always  being  found  even  in  these  days.  One 
popular  idea  of  the  Arabs  about  a  stranger 
coming  among  them  is  that  he  is  seeking 
buried  treasure,  and  being  in  the  possession  of 
books  knows  just  where  to  locate  and  find  it. 
The  custom  of  burying  treasure  and  valuables 
was,  no  doubt,  caused  by  the  absence  of  any 
safe  deposit  with  man  in  which  to  put  things 
for  keeping.  Anything  buried  was  only  known 
to  the  hider,  and  it  ofttimes  happened  that 
death  or  war  carried  off  the  depositor,  and  so 
his  hoard  was  left  to  be  turned  up  long  years 
after.  That  this  custom  is  still  common  will 
be  substantiated  by  the  following. 

In  company  with  an  Arab  I  was  travelling 
over  the  Plains  of  Moab ;  my  man  had  with 
him  a  revolver  that  he  valued  very  much,  and 
if  it  had  been  seen  by  the  authorities,  it  would 
have  been  taken  from  him.  We  saw  coming 
toward  us  a  body  of  men  that  we  thought  were 
Turkish  soldiers  —  as  they  turned  out  to  be. 


260     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

He  was  alarmed  for  his  weapon,  but  was  equal 
to  the  occasion ;  coming  on  a  large,  flat  stone, 
he  sat  down  by  it,  and  called  me  to  do  the 
same.  I  did  so,  and  watched  him.  He  care- 
fully turned  over  the  stone,  scooped  out  a  hole, 
and  put  his  revolver  in  it,  then  covered  it  with 
earth  and  replaced  the  stone  as  before.  He 
told  me  at  some  future  time  he  would  get  the 
weapon,  which  he  did  a  month  later. 

Another  time,  when  living  in  Kerak,  a  man 
came  to  me  begging  some  oilcloth  and  sealing- 
wax  to  wrap  a  small  bag  of  money  in.  He  told 
me  he  was  going  out  into  the  mountains  to 
hide  it.  "  I  cannot  trust  my  father,  brother,  or 
son  to  keep  it,  so  am  going  to  put  it  in  a  safe 
place,"  he  said ;  and  away  he  went  alone  to 
hide  his  possessions. 

Retaining  Garments 

Exodus  xxii.  26,  27:  "If  thou  at  all  take 
thy  neighbor's  garment  to  pledge,  thou  shalt 
deliver  it  to  him  by  that  the  sun  goeth  down : 
For  that  is  his  covering,  it  is  his  only  covering, 
wherein  shall  he  sleep." 

Going  to  bed  is  a  very  simple  matter  with 
Arabs ;  more  often  than  not  the  place  where 
you  may  be  reclining  becomes  your  bed. 
Guest-rooms  and  tents  are  bare  of  furniture; 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     261 

mats  and  rugs  are  spread,  and  on  these  we 
sleep.  Nothing  in  the  way  of  covering  is  pro- 
vided, so  that  every  one  must  possess  his  own. 
Here  comes  in  the  utility  of  the  large  cloak  — 
abba  —  of  the  Arab.  When  he  wants  to  sleep, 
it  is  capacious  enough  to  cover  him,  and  being 
closely  woven  keeps  out  the  cold  or  wind. 
With  one  of  these  handy  the  sleeper  can  cover 
himself  just  where  he  happens  to  be.  To  keep 
a  man's  outer  covering  is  a  great  crime,  as  I 
found  out  once  by  experience.  It  happened  in 
Kerak. 

I  was  sitting  in  our  room  with  my  face 
toward  the  open  door,  when  I  saw  a  sheet  that 
had  been  hung  out  to  dry  slowly  disappear 
upward.  I  ran  out  and  up  on  to  the  roof  of 
the  house,  and  saw  a  man  running  off  with  the 
sheet  under  his  arm.  I  gave  chase  and  soon 
overtook  him,  but  could  not  get  hold  of  him 
because  of  his  loose,  flying  garments.  I  held 
on  to  his  outer  cloak,  and  finding  he  was  likely 
to  be  captured,  he  dropped  the  sheet  and 
slipped  his  cloak,  leaving  it  in  my  hands,  he 
making  off  as  hard  as  his  legs  could  carry  him. 
I  returned  to  my  room  with  sheet  and  cloak  in 
my  possession.  This  was  about  noon.  Soon 
some  men  came  asking  the  return  of  the  cloak. 
I  said  the  thief  must  come  for  it  himself. 


262     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

Twice  they  applied,  but  I  refused  to  give  it 
to  them.  They  told  me  I  was  doing  wrong 
by  retaining  it,  but  I  was  ignorant  of  their  cus- 
tom then.  Just  before  evening  the  chief,  with 
some  of  his  sons,  came  and  asked  for  the  cloak, 
telling  me  that  I  was  withholding  the  man's 
covering  for  the  night,  and  if  he  died  from 
exposure,  his  blood  would  be  upon  me.  They 
told  me  of  their  custom,  and  impressed  me 
with  the  fact  that  by  my  action  I  was  doing 
very  wrong.  So  I  gave  up  the  garment,  and 
have  since  learned  that  custom  with  them  is  a 
thing  not  easily  broken,  even  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. 

Pronuncia  (ion 

Judges  xii.  5,  6:  "And  the  Gileadites  took 
the  fords  of  Jordan  toward  Ephraim:  and  it 
was  so,  that  when  any  of  the  fugitives  of 
Ephraim  said,  Let  me  go  over,  that  the  men 
said  unto  him,  Art  thou  an  Ephraimite  ?  If 
he  said,  Nay;  then  said  they  unto  him,  say 
now  Shibboleth,  and  he  said  Sibboleth :  for  he 
could  not  frame  to  pronounce  it  right." 

Here  the  distinguishing  feature  between 
these  two  tribes  was  not  dress,  action,  or  ap- 
pearance, but  the  pronunciation  of  certain 
words,  and  by  this  it  was  known  if  they  were 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     263 

friend  or  foe.  To-day  a  man  only  has  to  speak, 
and  by  the  pronunciation  of  certain  words  the 
listener  can  detect  from  what  town  or  village 
he  hails  from.  The  pronunciation  of  Hebron 
is  very  different  from  that  of  Damascus,  and 
even  that  of  Jerusalem  and  Bethlehem,  only 
about  five  miles  apart,  is  very  marked.  It 
would  be  rude,  on  a  stranger  entering  a  guest 
or  other  room,  to  ask  him  where  he  is  from ; 
the  Arabs  wait  until  he  begins  to  talk,  and 
then  from  the  words  he  uses  and  his  pronun- 
ciation they  can  generally  tell  where  he  comes 
from.  A  smart  man,  to  conceal  his  native 
place,  will  ofttimes  use  the  terms  of  those  he 
may  be  among  for  the  time  being. 

Hospitality 

Judges  xix.  4,  5 :  "  And  his  father-in-law, 
the  damsel's  father,  retained  him,  and  he  abode 
with  him  three  days :  so  they  did  eat  and  drink, 
and  lodged  there.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
fourth  day,  when  they  arose  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, that  he  rose  up  to  depart,"  etc. 

Every  town  and  village  among  the  Arabs  is 
provided  with  a  room  open  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  all  comers  —  the  stranger  and  the 
traveller.  It  is  the  pride  of  a  settlement  to 
have  it  said  about  it,  "  Every  house  is  a  guest- 


264     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

room."  To  the  traveller  these  places  are  most 
valuable,  affording  as  they  do  shelter  for  the 
night,  protection  from  robbers,  and  provision 
for  man  and  beast.  The  head  man  of  the  place 
generally  likes  to  entertain  the  guests,  although 
the  humblest  inhabitant  will  gladly  provide 
food  and  shelter  for  any  that  present  themselves 
at  their  doors.  A  saying  of  the  Arab  runs 
thus,  "  The  guest  comes  in  the  place  of  God, 
and  we  willingly  give  what  he  needs."  The 
guest  is  entitled  by  custom  to  three  days'  hos- 
pitality ;  during  that  time  he  is  supposed  to  be 
able  to  transact  the  business  that  has  brought 
him  to  the  place.  The  host  likes  to  have  his 
guests  on  hand  early  in  the  afternoon,  so  that 
the  best  supper  possible  may  be  prepared  for 
them.  Another  saying  runs,  "The  guest  of 
the  evening  does  not  sup,"  because  no  time  has 
been  allowed  to  prepare  for  him,  so  he  has  to 
take  what  he  can  get.  If  circumstances  keep 
a  man  in  a  place  longer  than  three  days,  he 
must  go  to  another  house  for  accommodation. 

An  Arab  is  judged  by  the  way  he  treats  his 
guests.  "  The  coffee-pot  is  never  off  the  fire  " 
speaks  well  for  a  good  host.  Whilst  under 
the  roof  or  tent  of  an  Arab,  the  belongings  of  a 
guest  are  considered  safe,  also  his  life.  Great 
indignation  was  caused  during  my  stay  at 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     265 

Ithera  because  one  evening  my  saddle-bags 
were  rifled.  It  was  the  duty  of  my  host  to  find 
the  thief  or  to  replace  my  stolen  goods,  but  I 
spared  him  the  trouble.  The  person  of  the 
guest  is  also  much  respected,  and  no  one,  even 
an  enemy,  must  molest  him  whilst  under  a 
host's  roof.  The  story  of  Genesis  xix.  i-n  is 
made  plain,  and  the  action  of  Lot  understand- 
able, when  we  remember  the  respect  the  east- 
ern has  for  his  guest.  Lot  refused  to  give  his 
guests  to  the  howling  Sodomites,  offering  to 
them  his  two  daughters  rather  than  expose  his 
two  visitors  to  the  evil  designs  of  the  men  of 
Sodom.  I  have  ofttimes  experienced  the  bene- 
fit of  this  custom,  especially  when  assailed  by 
the  Turkish  official,  as  recorded  in  another  part 
of  this  book ;  he  —  my  host  —  would  rather 
offend  a  member  of  the  government  than 
allow  me,  his  guest,  to  be  interfered  with. 

A  liberal  host  keeps  his  guests  well  supplied 
with  coffee.  This  beverage,  taken  without 
milk  or  sugar,  has  many  little  ways  in  being 
dealt  with.  No  more  than  a  tablespoonful  must 
be  given  at  a  time  —  to  fill  one  of  the  tiny  cups 
would  be  an  insult  —  and  not  more  than  two 
pourings  out  is  allowed ;  if  a  third  one  is  given, 
it  is  a  decided  hint  that  the  receiver  is  not 
wanted  and  had  better  get  away  as  soon  as 


266    CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

possible,  possibly  because  some  enemy  or  the 
avenger  of  blood  is  near.  This  custom,  how- 
ever, only  rules  amongst  some  of  the  principal 
Bedouin  tribes.  The  coffee  is  generally  made 
by  the  host  himself ;  on  no  account  is  a  woman 
allowed  to  make  it.  The  green  berries  are 
roasted  in  a  kind  of  a  frying-pan,  as  required, 
and  the  average  amount  of  coffee  for  a  pint  of 
water  is  about  four  ounces.  More  often  than 
not  one  cup  has  to  serve  for  a  number  of  peo- 
ple ;  every  one  drinks  from  the  same  cup  without 
it  being  washed. 

Hasty  Meals 

Genesis  xii.  2-8;  Judges  vi.  19:  In  these 
two  instances  Abraham  and  Gideon  had  re- 
ceived unexpected  visitors.  In  Abraham's 
case  he  concluded  that  his  visitors  had  been 
turned  aside  to  his  tent  by  hunger;  v.  5  very 
plainly  teaches  this,  "  I  will  fetch  a  morsel  of 
bread,  and  comfort  ye  your  hearts,  after  that  ye 
shall  pass  on,  for  therefore  are  ye  come  to  your 
servant."  A  very  real  picture  of  Arab  life  and 
custom  this. 

Food  is  never  given  the  traveller  early  in  the 
day.  The  first  meal  of  the  Arab  is  taken 
about  ten  o'clock,  so  that  the  journeyer  would 
lose  the  best  part  of  the  day  if  he  stayed  for 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     267 

breakfast.  If  a  village,  encampment,  or  even 
tent  is  passed,  it  is  quite  permissible  to  turn  aside 
and  rest  for  a  time  and  have  some  food.  The 
Arab  women  are  quick  at  getting  a  meal  ready. 
Dough  is  kneaded  and  soon  baked ;  whilst  this 
is  in  process,  another  is  frying  eggs,  or  melting 
some  fat  in  which  to  dip  the  bread,  whilst  the 
old  mother  of  the  host  or  his  eldest  wife  will  be 
diving  into  the  recesses  of  a  sack  or  bundle  of 
clothes  for  some  very  savory  morsel  wherewith 
to  flavor  the  dish  being  prepared.  If  time  per- 
mits, a  lamb  or  kid  is  brought  in  from  the  flock, 
killed,  dissected,  and  cooked,  and  served  up  in 
a  very  short  space  of  time. 

I  remember  well  a  hasty  meal  being  prepared 
for  me.  It  was  in  the  country  south  of  Beer- 
sheba.  We  had  been  riding  nearly  all  day  and 
were  hungry.  We  saw  a  tent  in  the  distance 
and  were  soon  sitting  in  it.  Coffee  was  made, 
bread  baked,  and  a  fairly  good  meal  served  in 
about  twenty-five  minutes,  and  in  a  minute  less 
than  half  an  hour  from  the  time  we  had  alighted 
at  the  tent  we  were  on  our  way  again.  As  soon 
as  we  have  eaten  from  what  has  been  provided 
we  resume  our  journey.  Hearty  thanks  would  be 
ill-mannered  ;  a  hurried  "  May  you  always  have 
plenty,  if  God  will !  "  is  all  the  payment  given  for 
the  kind,  ready  hospitality  of  the  willing  giver. 


268     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

Feasting 

Genesis  xxi.  8;  xxix.  22  and  27;  1.  10; 
Judges  xiv.  12 ;  Esther  i.  5  ;  Job  ii.  13. 

These  Scriptures  all  bear  on  feasts  held  on 
occasions  of  weddings,  deaths,  or  some  other 
time  prominent  in  the  lives  of  those  mentioned. 
The  reader  will  note  that  the  limit  of  the  time 
for  rejoicing  or  otherwise  was  seven  days,  and 
that  time  is  still  observed  among  the  Arabs  of 
city,  village,  town,  or  desert.  It  may  not  be 
out  of  place  to  briefly  describe  the  mode  of 
procedure  on  these  occasions.  First,  we  read 
of  a  feast  being  made  on  the  day  that  Isaac  was 
weaned.  A  child  is  rarely  weaned  under  two 
years  of  age ;  ofttimes  a  child  even  at  three  years 
may  be  seen  at  the  breast.  Having  attained  the 
age  of  two  years,  the  child,  especially  a  boy,  is 
supposed  to  be  able  to  do  without  nourishment 
from  its  mother  and  to  take  solid  food  enough 
to  sustain  it.  It  has  passed  through  the  first 
stage  of  life,  and  having  lived  to  enter  the 
second  stage,  it  becomes  a  time  of  rejoicing. 
All  the  relations  and  near  friends  are  invited  to 
a  meal,  then  the  neighbors,  and  any  others 
that  may  be  around,  even  strangers,  are  all 
given  an  open  invitation  to  come  in,  feast,  and 
rejoice  with  the  parents  because  their  child  has 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     269 

been  weaned.  This  is  kept  up  for  seven  days, 
and  is  no  small  expense  to  the  family,  although 
made  lighter  by  presents  in  kind  to  the  fortunate 
child  passing  into  a  fresh  state  of  its  existence. 

Other  of  the  references  given  refer  to  times 
of  mourning.  The  Easterners  do  not  keep  their 
dead  long  after  death.  Climatic  influences  are 
against  that  custom.  On  the  approach  of  death 
some  of  the  male  members  of  the  family  go  out 
to  dig  a  grave.  Immediately  after  death  the 
body  is  washed  with  warm  water,  wrapped  in  a 
new  shroud,  and  carried  out  to  be  buried. 

Instances  sometimes  occur  when  persons  are 
buried  before  they  are  dead ;  having  gone  off 
into  a  state  of  collapse,  the  watchers  conclude 
that  death  has  taken  place.  I  well  remember  a 
case  that  occurred  in  Kerak  of  a  woman  that 
was  buried  and  resurrected.  She  had  been  ill 
and  suddenly  collapsed  ;  the  relatives,  thinking 
she  was  dead,  carried  her  out  and  buried  her, 
before  the  husband,  who  was  away,  knew  what 
had  occurred.  On  his  return  he  went  to  the 
grave,  and  as  he  sat  by  it  thought  he  heard 
moaning.  He  scraped  away  the  earth  and 
stones  and  found  his  supposed  dead  partner 
alive  and  able  to  speak.  The  earth  is  kept  off 
the  body  by  means  of  slabs  of  stone  laid 
crossways  on  other  stones.  The  woman  was 


2/0    CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

taken  back  to  her  home  and  recovered,  and 
as  far  as  I  know  is  still  alive.  I  have  seen 
her  many  times  and  talked  with  her.  After 
that  I  had  many  calls  to  examine  persons  to 
see  if  they  were  really  dead,  the  natives  hav- 
ing great  faith  in  the  stethescope,  or,  as  they 
call  it,  "  The  Scales  of  Life." 

The  short  time  that  has  elapsed  between 
death  and  burial  is  so  occupied  with  other 
things  that  mourning  to  any  extent  is  ex- 
cluded, but  on  returning  to  the  house  or  tent 
the  voice  of  mourning  is  at  once  heard.  The 
men  —  for  a  man,  not  a  woman  —  will  give 
way  to  chanting  the  praises  and  virtue  of  the 
one  dead ;  the  women  will  gather  in  the  yard, 
or  on  the  roof  of  the  house  recently  bereaved. 
They  will  join  hands  and  form  themselves  into 
a  ring.  One,  in  the  centre,  will  compose  lines 
on  the  dead  man ;  this  will  in  turn  be  taken  up 
by  the  others  and  sung  in  unison.  Every  few 
stanzas  they  will  dance  round  in  a  circle,  the  time 
and  harmony  they  keep  being  quite  remarkable. 
On  these  getting  weary,  another  batch  will  take 
their  place,  and  so  this  goes  on  from  early 
morning  until  past  midnight.  The  immediate 
relatives  of  the  dead  will  visit  the  grave,  and  wail 
and  mourn  there.  These  observances  are  kept 
up  for  seven  days,  during  which  time  outsiders 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE    2/1 

keep  the  bereaved  family  supplied  with  food, 
thus  enabling  them  to  be  free  for  the  mourning. 
If  an  important  personage,  such  as  a  chief  or 
religious  head,  dies,  the  usual  mourning  not 
only  takes  place,  but  all  business  and  work  is 
suspended  for  seven  days. 

I  had  practical  proof  of  this  on  the  death  of 
my  wife  in  Kerak.  We  could  not  understand 
why  the  Arabs  shunned  us  at  such  a  time.  It 
was  very  noticeable  that  those  that  were  most 
friendly  to  us  did  not  come  near.  After  a  time 
they  visited  us  again,  and  on  being  asked  where 
they  had  been  during  some  days  they  replied, 
"  We  have  spent  the  days  in  our  houses  mourn- 
ing the  death  of  the  lady;  we  did  not  know 
your  custom  at  such  a  time,  so  have  stopped 
work,  shut  our  shops,  and  mourned  according 
to  our  own  way." 

The  Arabs  east  of  the  Jordan  have  another 
custom  which  shows  a  kindly  feeling  one 
toward  another.  If  a  man's  horse  dies,  —  next 
to  his  eldest  son  his  best  companion,  —  his 
neighbor  will  bring  in  another  horse  and  put 
it  in  the  stall  of  the  dead  one  and  allow  it  to 
remain  seven  days,  thinking  in  some  measure 
to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  the  dead  animal. 
The  women  also  do  something  similar  when 
a  baby  dies.  A  relation  or  friend  will  give  the 


2/2     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

bereaved  mother  their  baby  to  nurse  and  care 
for  during  seven  days ;  in  that  time  the  parent 
is  supposed  to  become  reconciled  to  her  loss. 

Memory  calls  up  a  touching  incident  that 
occurred  in  our  domestic  life  in  Moab.  Soon 
after  our  advent  into  that  land  my  wife  had 
the  misfortune  to  lose  a  little  one.  It  soon 
became  known,  and  the  women  were  very 
grieved  about  it.  A  day  or  two  after,  a  young 
chief  that  had  always  been  kindly  disposed 
toward  us  presented  himself  at  our  door.  I 
asked  him  in ;  he  entered,  and  from  under  his 
cloak  brought  a  tiny  white  lamb.  He  put  it 
into  my  wife's  arms,  saying,  "  I  am  sorry  for 
your  loss,  and  if  I  had  a  baby,  would  have  lent 
it  to  you  to  care  for  until  you  had  got  over 
your  grief;  I  had  this  lamb,  so  have  brought 
it  for  you  to  look  after,  feed,  and  care  for." 
He  then  went  away,  and  next  time  I  saw  him 
he  was  dead,  having  been  cruelly  murdered  by 
a  hostile  tribe  near  by.  A  month  of  mourning 
was  observed  for  him,  because  he  was  so  brave 
and  generous  and  such  a  favorite  with  all  the 
people.  Not  only  in  the  country  is  seven  days 
the  time  for  mourning,  but  also  in  the  towns 
of  Palestine  and  Syria. 

Marriages  are  times  for  rejoicing  and  feast- 
ing, always  of  seven  days'  duration.  The  week 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     2/3 

previous  to  the  union  of  the  two  parties  is 
wholly  given  up  by  the  families  of  each  one 
to  pleasure.  The  bride  and  bridegroom,  each 
in  their  own  homes,  are  isolated  in  separate 
apartments  to  receive  the  congratulations  and 
presents  of  relatives,  friends,  and  neighbors. 
The  males  do  not  visit  among  the  women,  that 
would  be  a  great  breach  of  etiquette.  "  Every 
kind  loves  its  kind,"  an  Arab  proverb,  finds  its 
place  at  these  times.  Outside,  for  seven  days, 
continual  feasting  and  coffee-drinking  is  going 
on.  In  a  good  family,  twrenty  or  twenty-five 
sheep  will  be  slain  to  provide  food  for  the 
visitors  who  come  to  rejoice  with  the  family; 
in  addition  to  these,  quantities  of  rice  and 
wheat  will  be  cooked  to  fill  up  the  corners. 
Fat  and  grease  in  abundance  speaks  much  for 
the  liberality  of  the  contending  families.  In- 
side, among  the  women,  the  shy  bride  has  to 
undergo  daily  washings  and  purifications  to 
prepare  her  for  the  bridegroom.  This  is  the 
only  good  washing  she  gets  during  her  lifetime, 
so  a  very  important  time  for  her,  and  an  arduous 
one  for  those  told  off  to  scrub  her.  The  bride- 
groom does  not  get  off  without  his  share  of 
scrubbing ;  in  addition  he  is  smoked  with  vari- 
ous perfumes  to  make  him  sweet.  At  the  end 
of  the  seven  days'  rejoicings  a  short  religious 


274     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

service  brings  a  week  of  hard  work  to  a  close. 
The  circumcision  of  a  boy  is  also  a  time  of 
rejoicing  among  both  sexes.  Enough  has  been 
said  to  show  that  the  seven  days  of  the  Bible 
has  in  no  way  been  shortened,  proving  how 
slow  has  been  the  advance  of  civilization 
among  the  descendants  of  Ishmael.  Truly 
"They  dwell  alone"  (Jer.  xlix.  31). 

Buying  Land 

Genesis  xxiii.  17:  "And  the  field,  and  the 
cave  which  was  therein,  and  all  the  trees  that 
were  in  the  field,  that  were  in  the  borders 
thereof,  were  made  sure  unto  Abraham." 

It  is  very  noticeable  how  particular  the 
patriarch  was  in  making  this  bargain.  He 
might  have  bought  the  field,  thinking  that 
with  it  he  was  buying  all  that  it  contained,  but 
on  coming  into  possession,  and  going  to  pre- 
pare the  cave  for  his  dead,  he  would  have  been 
stopped  by  the  late  owner,  and  told,  "  You  only 
bought  the  field,  not  the  cave  or  trees  that  are 
in  the  field."  So  Abraham,  in  the  deeds,  had 
all  in  the  field  and  the  borders  thereof  made 
sure  to  him  by  being  written  down.  It  is  a 
common  thing  in  the  East  for  a  man  to  own 
a  well  in  the  middle  of  a  garden  or  field  that 
belongs  to  some  one  else.  The  well  was  found 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     275 

by  the  man  who  had  bought  the  ground,  and 
not  having  been  specified  in  the  deeds,  the 
well,  according  to  custom,  belongs  to  the 
former  owner  of  the  land.  So  in  buying  land 
from  the  Arabs  some  such  terms  as  the  follow- 
ing are  used :  "  A  buys  from  B  land  in  such 
a  place,  also  all  that  can  be  seen  on  the  land, 
trees  and  stones,  also  all  that  shall  be  found 
under  the  ground."  This  secures  to  the  pur- 
chaser all  that  he  finds,  even  treasure.  This 
custom  makes  Abraham's  action  very  under- 
standable. An  ignoramus  would  soon  be  taken 
in  at  buying  land  in  the  East ;  the  seller  would 
keep  quiet  so  as  to  get  a  double  benefit.  This 
transaction,  we  read,  took  place  in  the  presence 
of  witnesses,  a  very  needy  precaution  in  a  land 
and  among  a  people  that  do  not  consider  lying 
or  cheating  a  sin,  and  where  writing  and  docu- 
ments are  almost  unknown. 

Leviticus  xix.  14:  "Thou  shalt  not  curse  the 
deaf,  nor  put  a  stumbling  block  before  the 
blind,"  is  strictly  observed  by  the  Arabs  of 
to-day.  Any  one  afflicted  is  the  object  of  pity 
and  special  care,  and  many  of  the  mistakes 
made  by  any  that  are  afflicted  are  always  over- 
looked because  of  their  infirmity. 

Deuteronomy  xxiv.  20 :  "  When  thou  beatest 
thine  olive  tree,  thou  shalt  not  go  over  the 


2/6    CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

boughs  again ;  it  shall  be  for  the  stranger,  for 
the  fatherless,  and  for  the  widow." 

This  command,  given  to  the  children  of 
Israel  three  thousand  years  ago,  is  still  obeyed 
by  the  fortunate  possessors  of  olive  trees.  The 
olive  harvest  commences  in  November.  The  na- 
tives go  to  the  groves  armed  with  sticks  or  bam- 
boos, ladders,  baskets,  and  sacks.  Some  of  the 
men  go  up  into  the  tree,  and  give  it  a  good 
beating,  causing  the  berries  to  fall  on  the 
ground ;  the  women  and  children  pick  them  up 
and  put  them  in  sacks  and  baskets.  A  return 
to  the  tree  is  not  made ;  what  is  left  on  or  under 
it  is  for  the  poor.  The  olive  forms  part  of 
the  food  of  the  Eastern,  and  a  family  owning 
one  or  two  olive  trees  is  fortunate  indeed. 

Deuteronomy  xxiii.  24,  25:  "When  thou 
comest  into  thy  neighbor's  vineyard,  then  thou 
mayest  eat  thy  fill  at  thine  own  pleasure,  but 
thou  shalt  not  put  any  in  thy  vessel.  When 
thou  comest  into  the  standing  corn  of  thy 
neighbor,  then  thou  mayest  pluck  the  ears 
with  thine  hand ;  but  thou  shalt  not  move  a 
sickle  unto  thy  neighbor's  standing  corn." 

To  eat  grapes,  or  parch  nearly  ripe  corn,  is 
quite  permissible  in  the  gardens  or  fields  of 
the  Arabs;  none  will  forbid  you,  but  you 
must  carry  none  home,  except  it  be  given  you. 


AN   ARAB    FIDDLER 

The  Arabs  have  two  kinds  of  music.  This  picture  shows  a  youth  playing  a  one-stringed 
fiddle,  which  is  homemade.  The  other  instrument  is  a  double  flute  made  from  fine  bamboos, 
and  generally  played  by  the  shepherds  when  tending  their  flocks. 


WOMEN   GRINDING   AT  THE   MILL 

Steam  mills  among  the  Arabs  are  unknown.     The  women  grind  the  flour  as  they  need  it 
The  mill  consists  of  two  stones,  the  upper  revolving  on  the  lower.     The  mill  is  fed  throu 
a  hole  in  the  center.     It  is  considered  a  disgrace  for  a  man  to  grind  at  the  mill. 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     277 

Grinding  at  the  Mill 

Part  of  a  woman's  work  is  to  grind  the  flour 
for  daily  use.  No  house  or  tent  is  without  its 
hand-mill,  and  although  everything  else  was 
stolen  or  bought  from  a  dwelling  or  family,  Deu- 
teronomy xxiv.  6  would  be  strictly  observed, 
"  No  man  shall  take  the  mill  to  pledge,  for  he 
taketh  a  man's  life  to  pledge."  An  expression 
of  hard  times  is  conveyed  by  saying,  "  The  mill 
is  silent,"  meaning,  of  course,  that  there  is 
nothing  to  grind.  House  mills  are  of  two 
kinds,  those  turned  by  the  women  and  those 
turned  by  a  donkey.  In  the  latter  case  the 
beast  is  blindfolded  so  that  he  may  not  become 
giddy  by  having  to  go  round  a  circle.  It  is 
considered  a  disgrace  for  a  man  to  grind  at  the 
mill,  hence  the  humiliating  spectacle  of  Samson 
at  the  mill  in  the  prison-house,  fitted  for  such 
work  by  having  had  his  eyes  put  out. 

Yearly  Lamentations 

Judges  xi.  39 :  "  And  it  was  a  custom  in 
Israel  that  the  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly 
to  lament  the  daughter  of  Jephthah  the  Gil- 
eadite  four  days  in  a  year."  Visits  to  shrines 
form  an  important  part  in  the  life  of  an  Arab. 
Every  district  has  a  shrine  devoted  to  some 


2/8     CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE 

saint  or  great  personage  that  was  supposed  to 
have  had  unusual  power  in  bestowing  special 
blessings.  These  places  are  called  "  meezars," 
or  "  willeys,"  and  anything  deposited  near  them 
is  perfectly  safe  —  supposed  to  be  under  the  pro- 
tection of  the  saint  of  the  shrine.  It  is  quite 
a  common  sight  to  see  tents,  sacks  of  corn, 
ploughs,  etc.,  left  near  these  places ;  no  one 
would  risk  the  wrath  of  the  spirit  by  removing 
any  of  these  deposits. 

Yearly  visits  are  made  to  these  shrines,  and 
special  blessings  asked  upon  the  family  or  flocks 
of  the  visitor  to  the  shrine.  Each  section  of 
the  Mohammedans  has  shrines  to  those  whom 
they  most  revere  and  whose  teaching  they  fol- 
low, but  there  are  a  few  shrines  to  which  all  go 
and  either  keep  feast  or  make  lamentations. 

Some  of  the  principal  shrines  in  Palestine 
and  Arabia  are  those  of  Moses  near  the  Jordan; 
Aaron  on  the  summit  of  Mount  Hor  in  Edom; 
the  prophets,  Samuel,  Jonah,  and  Reuben.  The 
cave  of  Machpelah  at  Hebron  is  an  important 
shrine  to  both  Moslems  and  Jews  alike.  The 
burying-place  of  Mohammed  at  Medina,  in 
Arabia,  is,  of  course,  the  most  important  to 
every  follower  of  the  Arabian  messenger. 

This  chapter  plainly  demonstrates  that  the 
customs  and  practices  in  vogue  thousands  of 


CUSTOMS   SUBSTANTIATING   SCRIPTURE     279 

years  ago  and  in  constant  use  to-day  by  these 
isolated,  semi-civilized  people,  goes  a  very  long 
way  toward  substantiating  the  accounts  of 
events  and  other  things  recorded  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. The  little  advance  made  by  civilization 
in  Arabia  has  helped  to  preserve  in  detail  and 
continuation  many  other  interesting  customs 
not  dealt  with  in  these  pages,  but  all  too  com- 
mon among  the  descendants  of  Ishmael. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

ARABIA    IN    ITS    RELATION    TO    THE    BIBLE 

A  RABIA,  though  chiefly  an  arid,  sandy 
JL.L  desert,  is  a  country  of  much  biblical  and 
historical  interest.  It  extends  from  west  to 
east,  commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile  in 
Lower  Egypt,  to  the  Euphrates  and  Persian 
Gulf,  a  distance  of  about  a  thousand  miles,  and 
fourteen  hundred  miles  from  the  Arabian  Gulf 
to  Syria  in  the  north.  The  Arabs  make  two 
great  divisions  of  their  land ;  the  northern 
which  they  call  Sham,  or  "  the  left,"  and  the 
southern  called  Yemen,  or  "  the  right."  But 
geographers  have  divided  it  into  three  separate 
regions :  Arabia  Deserta,  Arabia  Petrea,  and 
Arabia  Felix. 

The  ancient  Hebrews  denominated  this 
region  "  the  east  country "  (Gen.  xxv.  6),  and 
its  inhabitants  "  the  children  of  the  east " 
(Judg.  vi.  3;  Job  i.  3;  i  K.  iv.  30;  Isa.  ii.  14). 
By  Arabia  they  only  meant  a  small  district  of 
the  country  now  so  called  (Ezek.  xxvii.  21; 
2  Chron.  xxi.  16,  17).  Thus  the  Arabians  are 

280 


ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE     281 

placed  in  connection  with  the  Philistines  (2 
Chron.  xxvi.  7).  By  "all  the  kings  of  Arabia" 
(i  K.  x.  15;  Jer.  xxv.  24),  we  may  understand 
the  chiefs  of  wandering  tribes  who  lived  in 
tents.  When  the  Apostle  Paul  speaks  of  having 
visited  Arabia  (Gal.  i.  17),  some  imply  that  the 
country  near  Damascus  is  intended,  others  in- 
sist on  Edom  being  the  part  visited.  Which- 
ever is  right,  Arabia  is  included,  and  when  he 
speaks  of  Sinai  in  Arabia  (Gal.  iv.  25),  he  used 
the  name  in  its  extended  signification. 

Arabia  is  supposed  to  be  so  called  from 
Arabah,  that  is,  the  desert,  a  district  in  Idumea. 
In  Deuteronomy  ii.  8,  we  read  of  the  way  of 
"the  plain  "  in  connection  with  Elath  and  Ezion- 
geber;  in  the  original  it  is  Ha-Arabah.  As  the 
Ishmaelitish  inhabitants  wandered  over  the  ad- 
joining territories,  the  name  became  extended 
to  them  also.  The  Arabah  consists  of  a  great 
valley,  deep,  dreary,  and  desolate,  beginning  at 
Elath  and  Ezion-geber  and  extending  to  the 
Dead  Sea,  which  is  called  "the  sea  of  the  plain," 
or  Arabah,  in  Deuteronomy  iv.  49  and  Joshua 
iii.  1 6. 

The  parts  of  the  country  bordering  on  Pales- 
tine and  Egypt  were  originally  peopled  by 
Cush,  the  son  of  Ham,  hence  Cush  became  a 
general  name  for  Arabian  and  African  Ethiopia. 


282    ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE 

The  pure  Arabs  trace  their  descent  to  Jok- 
tan,  or  Kahtan,  the  son  of  Heber  of  the  pos- 
terity of  Noah.  Moses  mentions  thirteen  sons 
of  Joktan  (Gen.  x.  26-29),  several  of  whose 
names  are  identified  by  Niebuhr  and  others  with 
the  provinces  and  towns  of  Southern  Arabia. 
A  native  who  can  clearly  trace  his  genealogy  in 
this  line  is  called  "  an  Arab  of  the  Arabs  "  to 
mark  the  purity  of  his  descent.  A  third  class, 
and  probably  those  more  generally  found  in 
these  days,  are  the  descendants  of  Ishmael, 
whose  sons  became  twelve  princes  according  to 
their  nations  in  fulfilment  of  the  Divine  promise 
to  Abraham  in  Genesis  xvii.  20.  Others  of 
the  tribes  sprang  from  the  second  wife  of  Abra- 
ham, Keturah  by  name. 

The  whole  of  these  tribes  is  divided  into 
two  classes,  the  Arab-el-mudn,  the  dwellers  in 
houses,  and  the  Bedouin,  whose  habitation  is 
the  "  house  of  hair,"  so  called  because  the  tent- 
cloth  is  composed  of  goat's  hair,  which  is  spun 
and  woven  by  the  women.  This  latter  class 
lives  entirely  in  the  wilderness  and  desert,  tend- 
ing their  numerous  flocks  and  herds,  and  to  a 
considerable  degree  they  maintain  the  pro- 
phetic declaration,  "  He  will  be  a  wild  man ; 
his  hand  will  be  against  every  man,  and  every 
man's  hand  against  him  "(Gen.  xvi.  12). 


ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE    283 

Arabia  Deserta  is  mostly  an  extensive  desert, 
with  scarcely  enough  vegetation  to  support  the 
camels  by  which  it  is  traversed,  and  with  only 
a  few  brackish  springs  and  pools  of  water. 
Here  and  there  on  the  highlands  large  cities  are 
found  around  which  palm  groves  and  gardens 
have  been  cultivated.  No  river  or  perennial 
stream  blesses  Arabia  Deserta,  bringing  fertility 
to  its  barren  stretches  and  life  to  its  isolated 
dwellers.  The  desert  is  encircled  or  intersected 
by  barren  mountains,  with  summits  rising  in 
rugged  peaks.  The  air  is  dry,  and  whole  years 
occasionally  pass  without  rain.  Scripture  gives 
an  impressive  picture  of  Arabia,  "  a  land  of 
deserts  and  of  pits,  a  land  of  drought  and  of 
the  shadow  of  death,  a  land  that  no  man 
passeth  through,  and  where  no  man  dwelt "  (Jer. 
ii.  6).  A  large  portion  of  the  country  is  to 
the  present  day  but  little  known,  and  awaits 
the  advent  of  the  pioneer  missionary,  who  of 
all  pioneers  should  be  the  first  one  to  cross 
and  recross  that  isolated  land. 

Arabia  Petrea  or  Rocky  Arabia  derives  its 
name  from  Petra,  "  the  rock,"  from  the  many 
rocky  districts  found  within  its  limits.  To 
this  wild  but  interesting  region  belongs  a 
reverence  which  no  other  part  of  the  earth, 
Judea  excepted,  can  claim.  It  was  the  theatre 


284    ARAB.IA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE 

of  many  awful  and  extraordinary  events  re- 
corded in  Jewish  history,  the  sacred  emi- 
nence of  Sinai,  on  whose  cloudy  summit  the 
deity  made  his  pavilion  of  darkness  when 
he  first  issued  a  system  of  written  laws  to 
the  human  race  ;  Horeb,  with  its  burning  bush 
and  its  caves,  which  gave  shelter  to  Elijah  when 
he  fled  from  Jezebel ;  the  pastoral  solitudes, 
where  the  Jewish  deliverer,  then  an  exile  from 
Egypt,  kept  the  flocks  of  Jethro,  the  priest  of 
Midian ;  Shur  and  Paran,  with  the  bitter  wells 
of  Marah,  and  the  smitten  rock  that  yielded 
water;  the  land  of  Uz,  the  scene  of  the  wealth 
and  woes  of  Job,  of  the  trial  of  his  patience  and 
the  triumph  of  his  piety ;  all  these  locations  are 
comprehended  within  the  geographical  limita- 
tions of  Arabia  Petrea.1 

Arabia  Felix,  or  "  the '  Happy  "  is  so  called 
because  of  its  superior  fertility.  It  is  moun- 
tainous, well  watered,  and  yields  good  crops  of 
grain,  coffee,  and  fruit.  The  present  inhabit- 
ants of  the  land  are  in  a  state  of  poverty,  owing 
to  many  years  of  drought  and  the  heavy  taxa- 
tion of  the  Turkish  government.  In  Arabia 
Felix,  or,  as  it  is  better  known,  Yemen,  thou- 
sands of  Jews  reside,  having  had  their  settle- 
ments there  for  many  centuries. 

1  Crichton's  "Arabia." 


ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION  TO   THE   BIBLE     285 

Among  the  people  who  did  and  who  still 
occupy  the  three  great  divisions  of  Arabia  the 
following  are  the  most  considerable  :  — 

i.  The  Edomites.  The  country  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Esau,  "  who  is  Edom,"  after  he  "  went 
from  the  face  of  his  brother  Jacob,"  was  at 
Mount  Seir,  an  elevated  tract  stretching  from  the 
southern  point  of  the  Dead  Sea  to  the  Gulf  of 
Ezion-geber.  Its  earliest  inhabitants  were  the 
Horims,  or  dwellers  in  caves  (Deut.  ii.  12,  22). 
It  was  in  after  ages  called,  by  the  Greeks  and 
Romans,  Idumea.  The  Edomites  were  a  war- 
like race,  and  gradually  spread  eastward  and 
southward  over  an  extensive  country.  They 
established  several  ports  on  the  Red  Sea,  which 
were  taken  by  David,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Edom  was  annexed  to  his  house,  until  it  re- 
volted in  the  days  of  Jehoram  (2  Chron.  xxii. 
8-10). 

About  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  before  the 
Christian  era,  the  Edomites  were  again  subdued, 
and  were  from  that  time  gradually  incorporated 
among  the  Jewish  people,  and  their  national 
name  became  extinct.  The  land  which  once 
contained  many  cities  and  villages,  and  was 
the  emporium  of  the  commerce  of  the  East,  is 
now  one  of  the  most  inaccessible  parts  of  the 
Orient. 


286    ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE 

The  chief  city,  Petra,  —  probably  the  Jok- 
theel  of  Scripture,  —  was  situated  in  a  deep 
ravine,  or  defile  of  rocks,  which  rises  on  either 
side  to  a  vast  height  and  forms  a  remarkable 
natural  citadel  of  defence.  In  these  rocks, 
reaching  many  hundred  feet  in  height,  are  cut 
many  of  the  dwellings  and  sepulchres  of  its 
former  inhabitants,  fully  justifying  their  being 
compared  to  eagles'  nests.  Silence  and  ob- 
scurity hung  over  the  ruins  of  this  rock-hewn 
city  for  ages,  until  they  were  brought  to  light 
by  Burckhardt  early  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
and  later  by  Laborde  and  Robinson.  The 
writer  has  six  times  visited  these  interesting 
ruins,  no  doubt  breaking  any  record  concern- 
ing visits  to  Petra. 

The  Edomites  were  in  all  ages  hostile  to 
the  Hebrews ;  hence,  by  a  figure  of  speech,  the 
enemies  of  the  true  Israel  of  God  are  designated 
Edomites. 

2.  The  Moabites.  The  land  inhabited  by 
the  descendants  of  the  eldest  son  of  Lot  is 
on  the  east  of  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea;  its 
history  is  very  closely  connected  with  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  The  people  formed  a  powerful 
tribe,  though  too  feeble  to  offer  resistance  to  the 
progress  of  the  Hebrews  when  on  their  way  to 
Canaan.  They,  however,  succeeded,  conjointly 


PHAROAH'S  TREASURY,    THE   MASTERPIECE   OF   EDOM 


;      ARABIA   IN    ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE    287 

with  the  Midianites,  in  enticing  the  children  of 
Israel  into  idolatry  and  sin  (Num.  xxv).  Their 
capital  city  was  Ar,  or  Rabbath  Moab,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  great  gorge  of  Mojeb,  through 
which  flows  the  Arnon.  By  the  Greeks  it  was 
called  Areopolis,  or  "the  city  of  Mars."  Its 
ruins  are  very  extensive  and  fairly  well  pre- 
served. 

The  citadel  or  stronghold  of  Moab  was  Kir, 
now  known  as  Kerak,  where  the  writer  of  these 
pages  lived  for  many  years.  The  prophet  Isaiah 
describes  many  of  the  chief  towns  of  Moab  as 
grieving  over  the  conquest  and  desolation  of  the 
country,  caused  by  the  invasion  of  the  Assyrians. 

3.  The  Amalekites  had  their  possessions  on 
the  west  of    Edom  ;    they  were  called  in  the 
prophecy  of  Balaam  "  the  first  of  the  nations  " 
(Num.  xxiv.  20).    They  are  described  as  occupy- 
ing the  whole  region  from  Shur  in  Egypt  to 
Havilah,  or  the  Persian  Gulf  (i  Sam.  xv.  7). 

4.  The  Midianites  were  the  descendants  of 
Abraham  and  Keturah,  through  their  son  Mid- 
ian ;  they  settled  near  Mount  Horeb.     A  con- 
siderable part  of  their  land  was  traversed  by  the 
Israelites  on  their  way  from  Egypt  to  Canaan. 
There  was  a  division  or  class  of  this  people  who 
were  the  allies  of  Moab  (Num.  xxii.  4,  5),  and 
were  overthrown  by  Gideon  (Judges  vi). 


288    ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO   THE   BIBLE 

5.  The  Ammonites,    the   offspring  of    Ben- 
Amomi,  the  son  of  Lot,  inhabited  the  country 
between  the  rivers  Arnon  and  Jabbok.     They 
were  driven  by  the  Amorites  more  to  the  east. 
These  people  were  in  constant  hostility   with 
the     Israelites,   and    against    them    Jeremiah, 
Amos,  Ezekiel,  and  Zephaniah  were   directed 
to  prophesy.     Their  name  disappears  from  his- 
tory before  the  birth  of  Christ ;  they  no  doubt 
were  merged  into  one  of  the  great  Arab  tribes 
among  whom  they  lived. 

6.  The  Ishmaelites.     Nebajoth   and    Kedar 
were  the  two  eldest  sons  of  Ishmael  (Gen.  xv. 
13);  the  former  gave  the  name  to  the  region 
about  Mount  Hor ;  the  latter  wandered  far  into 
the  desert,  and  abode  in   tents  made  of  black 
goat's  hair,  hence  the  expression  in  Songs  of 
Solomon   i.  5,  "  black  as  the  tents  of  Kedar." 
They  are  rich  in  herds  (Isa.    Ix.  7),  and  were 
expert   and  warlike  archers   (Isa.   xxi.  16,    17; 
Ps.   cxx.  5,  7);  Dumah,  the  third  son  of  Ish- 
mael, directed  his  way  to  the  east,  near  the  Per- 
sian Gulf.     A    prophecy  was  directed  against 
his  descendants  (Isa.  xxi.  n).    Tema,  the  ninth 
son  (Gen.  xxv.  15),  is  spoken  of  in  Isaiah  xxi. 

,14,  in  connection  with  the  caravans  of  Dedan. 

The  other  sons  of  Ishmael  spread  over  that 

part  of  Arabia  which  lies  south  of    Palestine, 


ARABIA   IN   ITS   RELATION   TO  THE   BIBLE    289 

going  as  far  as  Shur,  near  Egypt,  with  which 
latter  country  they  carried  on  commerce  as 
early  as  the  days  of  Jacob  (Gen.  xxxvii.  25, 
xxxix.  i). 

The  names  of  the  twelve  sons  of  Ishmael  are 
perpetuated  in  tribes,  families,  villages,  and 
districts  still  existing  in  Arabia. 

7.  The  Kenites,  a  tribe  of  Arabs  dwelling 
near  or  among  the  Amalekites  in  the  south- 
west part  of  Arabia  Petrea.  They  showed 
kindness  to  the  children  of  Israel  when  they 
came  out  of  Egypt,  and  in  return,  Saul,  when 
he  went  against  the  Amalekites,  desired  them 
to  withdraw,  that  they  might  not  share  the  fate 
of  his  enemies  (Num.  xxiv.  20,  21 ;  i  Sam.  xv.  6). 


CHAPTER  XXV 

A   LOOK   AHEAD 

IN  a  closing  word,  let  me  say  that  I  hope 
my  "'Ventures  among  the  Arabs  "  are  not 
yet  over.  I  have  told  what  it  means  to  pioneer 
in  the  land  of  the  Arab.  Every  year  will  make 
such  work  easier,  and  every  journey  will  mean  less 
opposition,  and  the  more  seen  by  the  Arab  of 
Protestant  Christianity  in  contrast  to  the  Chris- 
tianity of  the  Orient,  so  much  more  will  misun- 
derstanding, prejudice,  and  fanaticism  lessen. 

Of  necessity,  mission  work  in  Arabia  must 
for  some  time  mean  isolation,  hardship,  danger, 
and  it  may  be  death,  but  such  always  precede 
the  success  and  ultimate  triumph  of  the  gospel, 
as  illustrated  by  Judson  in  India,  and  Calvert 
among  the  cannibal  of  the  South  Seas. 

Mission  stations,  churches,  and  congregations 
,may  not  for  a  time  be  established  in  Arabia,  but 
that  should  not  hinder  the  obeying  of  the  March- 
ing Orders. 

"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach,"  and 
thus  by  faithful  witnessing,  constant  preaching, 

290 


A  LOOK  AHEAD  29 1 

and  the  distribution  of  the  Word,  the  Arabs  of 
tent  and  town  may  be  gradually  won  for  Jesus 
Christ,  as  the  Africans  were  by  Mackay's  faithful- 
ness and  the  Chinese  by  Piercey's  persistency. 

The  work  that  has  been  represented  in  these 
pages  has  been  partly  independent.  Organized 
societies  have  rarely  supported  pioneer  move- 
ments in  their  initiative  stages.  The  conse- 
crated means  of  God's  people  have  again  and 
again  been  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  pioneer 
and  used  for  the  opening  up  of  new  lands,  so  it 
seems  to  me  it  must  be  in  the  case  of  neglected 
Arabia.  If  some  such  result  comes  from  read- 
ing this  book,  my  labor  in  writing  it  will  not 
have  been  in  vain. 

God  has  thus  far  used  me,  and  knowing  well 
the  terrible  need,  my  heartfelt  desire  is,  with  the 
cooperation  of  others,  to  consummate  the  work. 

The  opportunity  to  evangelize  Ishmael  is 
given  us.  Doors  long  closed  are  slowly  open- 
ing, the  years  fast  going  by,  and  the  arduous 
work  still  undone.  Reader, 

"This  matter  belongeth  unto  thee  "   (Ezra  x.  4). 
For  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when, 

"  The  night  shall  be  filled  with  music, 
And  the  cares  that  infest  the  day, 
Shall  fold  their  tents,  like  the  Arabs, 
And  as  silently  steal  away." 


A  LOOK   AHEAD 

The  prayerful  interest  of  the  reader  for  the 
success  of  "'Ventures  among  the  Arabs,"  past 
and  prospective,  will  be  much  appreciated. 

Communications  may  be  addressed  to 

MR.  A.  FORDER, 

Care  Austrian  P.  O., 

Jerusalem,  Palestine, 
or  to  the  publishers. 


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